BELURAN, Oct 20 — An adult pygmy elephant was found dead, believed to have been shot, in an oil palm plantation here yesterday.

Beluran district police chief Supt Kasim Muda, in a statement today, said the male elephant, with its tusks removed, was believed to have died five days ago.

He said workers at Ladang Bimbingan 2, Beluran, stumbled upon the carcass of the elephant, believed to be about 25 years old and weighing 2.5 tonnes, while searching for the source of a foul smell in the plantation.

A post mortem on the elephant found several old scars, believed due to shot wound, at its buttock, he said, adding that the cause of the pachyderm’s death had yet to be ascertained.

He urged those with information to contact the nearest police station.

Last September 25, the carcass of a pygmy elephant, also with shot wounds, was found in Sungai Udin Dumpas, Kalabakan, Tawau.

Following which, six people have been detained to facilitate the investigation. — Bernama