A pygmy elephant herd in Borneo lost seven of its members when they were found dead near a timber camp in Rinukut, Tawau.
According to a report by The Star Online, the elephants were believed to have gotten stuck in a mud pool.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga told the news portal that the seven elephants were part of a herd of nine which got stuck in the pool, and the department had received a report about the situation on September 10.
Augustine told the news portal that out of the nine elephants, wildlife rangers managed to rescue only two of them while two others reportedly had to be put down as they were suffering from several complications.
“When our team managed to reach the area, five (two adults, a juvenile and two newborns) of the nine trapped elephants were already dead as evidently they were stuck in that pool for at least a week prior.
“Unfortunately the other two elephants were too weak, dehydrated and blind that they had to be euthanised to put them out of their misery,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that the two surviving elephants made their way back into the forest.
Known as the smallest elephant species in Asia, pygmy elephants have been categorised as an endangered species with a population of less than 1,500.
