Carcass of de-tusked elephant found near Tasik Pedu

Amir inspecting the carcass of the elephant, believed to have been killed by poachers. - Bernama

ALOR STAR: A group of anglers stumbled upon the carcass of an elephant with its tusks removed near Pedu Lake on May 1, most likely killed by poachers.

The elephant died about two weeks ago, according to anglers who had passed by the Charok Jit area on their way to the lake.

Amir Wahab, secretary of the Tasik Pedu Fishermen, Breeders and Tourism Association cooperative, said he was told of the dead animal by a member of his staff, Faizuan Abu Hashim, 22.

Amir, 43, said he went to the area at about 3pm and found the elephant.

He said poachers could have hidden behind an illegal jetty in Tasik Pedu to attack the elephant when it emerged from the jungle for water.

"During the current El Nino phenomenon, wild animals such as elephants emerge from the jungle to drink from the lake," he said.

Fishermen in the area do not harm wildlife because they are focused on catching fish and only use jetties approved by local authorities, said Amir who operates a boathouse on Tasik Pedu.

He hoped that the state government and relevant authorities will act against poachers in the lake area.

Kedah Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department director Mohamad Hafid Rohani, when contacted, said a post-mortem will be done on the elephant to determine its cause of death.

He said there were two cases of elephant deaths in the area several years ago from poisoning. - Bernama