Baby Elephant Found Dead in Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau Police Chief Investigates
Pekanbaru, VIVA – The discovery of a wild baby elephant carcass in the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) has immediately garnered serious attention from the police.
The Riau Police Chief, Inspector General of Police Herry Heryawan, even went directly to the location in the Lancang Kuning Resort, Section I of the TNTN area, today. The presence of the highest-ranking officer in the Riau Police was not without reason.
He came with the ranks of the General Criminal Investigation Directorate, the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate, and the Forensic Laboratory team, accompanied by the Head of the Riau BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency). This step was taken to ensure that the handling process runs professionally and is based on scientific evidence.
Based on initial information, the baby elephant carcass was found at around 12:00 PM in a decaying condition and is estimated to have died more than a week ago. The preliminary suspicion is that the death is related to an infection in the leg, allegedly caused by a snare. Currently, the medical team from the TNTN is conducting further investigation to confirm the exact cause of death.
“We want to ensure that the process runs based on the facts on the ground. Therefore, I, along with the directors of the criminal investigation and forensic laboratory, went directly to see the actual condition and support the ongoing examination process,” he said on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
According to him, the baby elephant carcass was detected thanks to a joint patrol between police personnel and forest rangers in the TNTN area. This collaboration is considered important to accelerate the detection of threats to wildlife.
“Even though it was found in a decaying condition, the presence of this baby elephant was detected because of the joint patrol. This is an evaluation for us to continue strengthening integrated patrols in vulnerable areas,” he said.
The Police Chief emphasized that they will increase the intensity of patrols, especially snare-sweeping patrols, to prevent poaching.
“We will encourage more massive snare-sweeping patrols so that snares that endanger wildlife can be found and immediately removed,” he said.
He also emphasized that the involvement of the criminal investigation and forensic laboratory elements was carried out to anticipate the possibility of criminal elements in the death of the protected animal.
“We are still waiting for the results of the medical team’s examination through a necropsy. If indications of a crime are later found, it will of course be followed up according to applicable regulations,” he said.