Sumatran Baby Elephant Died After Losing Its Trunk to Poacher Trap

TheIndonesia.co - A Sumatran baby elephant (Elephas Maxipmus Sumatrensis) was reported dead after two days of undergoing medical treatment at the Saree Elephant Training Center (PLG), Aceh Besar. Previously, the baby elephant was trapped by poachers who prey on the endangered species.

"I heard the information this morning that the elephant had died. The doctors are also conducting a necropsy (autopsy) on Tuesday," said the Head of the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Agus Ariyanto, in Banda Aceh.

Agus explained that the one-year-old-Sumatran Elephant baby died during medical treatment, with the trunk almost broken due to the trap.

The elephant baby was brought to Saree PLG on Sunday, 14 November 2021, with the almost almost-severed trunk condition, making it difficult for the elephant to eat. Moreover, the baby's condition was also thin.

BKSDA Aceh brought the baby elephant to PLG Saree to be treated.

"When we found the elephant, the trunk has rotted, it almost broke, so we brought it there (PLG Saree) for medical treatment. The elephant's condition for the past two days was quite good. However, the infection spread because the trunk had been trapped for a long time," said Agus.

Agus Arianto said that he received the report from the community on Saturday, 13 November 2021. A baby elephant was seen moving alone (separately from the group) with a snare still embedded in her almost-severed trunk. The community saw the baby elephant in the Alue Meuraksa, a forest Village in the Aceh Jaya District, Teunom, Aceh Jaya Regency.

The team consists of BKSDA Aceh personnel, medical personnel, CRU (Conservation Response Unit) Sampoiniet, BKPH (Forest Management Unit Office) Teunom-KPH I, CRU Aceh, PKSL (Wildlife Research Center) FKH-USK, and the community immediately rescued the elephant baby.

"The team found the baby elephant and took anesthesia to release the trap attached to its trunk," said Agus.

The results of the medical team's observation revealed that the one-year-old female wild elephant baby suffered severe injuries due to the trunk cut, which have lasted for a long time.