Govt to probe latest poisoned elephant death in Lahad Datu

Sabah will conduct further detailed investigation into whether the latest elephant death reported in Lahad Datu was due to deliberate poisoning by humans, said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew. -NSTP/ OLIVIA MIWIL
By Olivia Miwil - February 16, 2020 @ 11:31am

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will conduct further detailed investigation into whether the latest elephant death reported in Lahad Datu was due to deliberate poisoning by humans, said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew.

Liew was referring to an adult female elephant found dead at the Bagahak 1 plantation near Lahad Datu on Wednesday.

The pachyderm, estimated to be between 30 and 35 years old, is believed to have died from acute poisoning, as checks on the carcass found an enlarged liver and evidence of blood escaping the animal’s orifices.

“I was told that the latest casualty was badly poisoned. We want to investigate further.

“We cannot say it was done by humans. It (the poison) could be fertiliser, it might have eaten or drank it,” she said when met at the “KeTAMU” 4 Pangolins event at the Laman Seni here on Saturday night.

The latest casualty is the fifth such case in Sabah this year.

Liew, who is also state Tourism, Culture and Environment minister, said the government had recently approved a 10-year Plan with an allocation of RM20 million to conserve the species based on the concept of humans and elephants coexisting.

Earlier, during the event, which was held in conjunction with World Pangolin Day, she said that despite the existence of wildlife laws in different countries, poaching and illegal trafficking of wildlife species persist.

In 2017, the Customs Department had seized approximately 16,000 pangolins meant for the China market.

Last year, Sabah’s Wildlife Department seized 30 tonnes of body parts and meat as well as live animals comprising live and frozen pangolins, its scales and other wildlife species in two shipping containers valued at RM8.4 million.

“Certainly, threats to pangolins have intensified over the past five years, as records show in the massive numbers of pangolin seizures in Sabah and other countries.

“We need to step up the fight against wildlife crimes. Local communities can play a positive role in helping to curb the illegal wildlife trade,” she added.

On another development, Liew said the dismissal of her political secretary Raymond Ahuar was a decision made during a Cabinet meeting.

“I would like to clarify that he was sacked by the state Cabinet and not by the Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal) or anyone.

“The reasons for his dismissal were discussed in the Cabinet meeting, but I cannot reveal them,” said Liew, who is also State PKR Chief, adding that his dismissal has nothing to do with the party.