Sustainability Momentum Sdn Bhd

Even after three months of the tragic incident where 14 Bornean elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis) were found dead in the Malaysian state of Sabah, officials are still uncertain about what killed these animals. The Director of the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) today stated that “it is unidentified toxic poisoning [that killed the elephants]”. However, this comes even after the toxin was tested in Malaysia, Thailand and Australia. What is certain is that the tests did indicate that the animals died from a “caustic intoxicant”, possibly ingested accidentally or even intentionally poisoned. As a result of this incident, an action plan has been developed to improve conservation of the Bornean Pygmy Elephants, which now only have a population of 2,000 on the island.