BKSDA Deploys Team to Necropsy Sumatran Elephant Found Dead in Aceh Tamiang Plantation
The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) has deployed a team of veterinarians to perform a necropsy on a Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatrensis) found dead in a palm oil plantation area in Aceh Tamiang Regency. Head of BKSDA Aceh, Ujang Wisnu Barata, stated in Banda Aceh on Monday that the necropsy is being conducted to ascertain the cause of death of the protected animal. “The team is performing the necropsy in the field. We have not yet received the results, so we cannot confirm the cause of death. We will provide an update once the results are available,” he said.
The carcass was discovered on Sunday (9/8) by a worker at PT MPLI in Kampung Kaloy, Tamiang Hulu District, Aceh Tamiang Regency, around midday. The worker reported the finding to the police, who then informed BKSDA Aceh. Following the report, BKSDA officers, together with the Aceh Tamiang Police, Tamiang Hulu Police, and company partners, went to the location to conduct an initial identification and secure the site.
Ujang Wisnu Barata noted that the initial identification revealed the dead elephant was male and its tusks were still intact. No external wounds were found on the body of the protected wild animal. The Sumatran elephant is a protected species. According to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, this elephant, found only on the island of Sumatra, is classified as critically endangered and faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.
The public is urged to participate in preserving nature, particularly the Sumatran elephant, by not destroying forests that serve as habitats for various species, and by not capturing, injuring, or killing them. Furthermore, the public should not store, possess, keep, transport, or trade protected animals, whether alive or dead, nor set snares or poisons that can cause death. All negative actions against protected wildlife are subject to criminal sanctions in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations.