Endangered pygmy elephant found dead with 70 bullet wounds, tied to a tree with its tusks sawn off in Malaysia
An endangered pygmy elephant that was brutally killed by poachers was found with at least 70 bullets lodged in its body. The Borneo pygmy elephant was found last Wednesday, September 25, tied to a tree near a river in Sabah, Malaysia, according to a New Straits Times report.
Authorities found the elephant after they were alerted by a group of fishermen who stumbled upon the animal's corpse.
A post-mortem revealed that the poor animal was shot 70 times at close range, and was killed when one of the bullets pierced its temple. Authorities also found that the elephant's tusks had been sawn off for sale.
"It was found tied to a riverbank and more than half of the elephant's body was underwater," a source close to Sabah Wildlife Department said.
"It is not sure whether the elephant suffered greatly before dying, but one bullet went right through the left temple," the source added.
According to the Straits Times, Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga labeled the killing as "cruel".
At least four or five poachers were responsible for the killing, according to police, who are currently on the hunt for the group.
In Malaysia, the pygmy elephant is a protected species and anyone found guilty of killing them could be sentenced to five years in prison or face a penalty of up to £48,800 ($60,000).
At least 100 pygmy elephants have lost their lives in the last decade, Tuuga said. Quite a few of them were deliberately killed to remove their tusks and sell them for thousands of dollars.
One photographer recently shared horrific images of a poached elephant in a bid to raise awareness of the plight faced by elephants.
Justin Sullivan, a photographer from South Africa, shared a drone shot of the bloody corpse of an African elephant alongside its severed trunk, with its tusks removed. "The image has drawn a lot of attention," Justin said of the disturbing image.
"People have obviously reacted with mixed feelings of anger and sadness, especially with the recent lift on the hunting ban in Botswana, but this photo has driven some constructive dialogue around how we can promote more sustainable elephant conversation and solve our current ecological crisis."