Dead Baby Elephant Found in Tesso Nilo National Park, Police Investigate the Cause
The Riau Police Department is investigating the death of a wild baby elephant in the Lancang Kuning Resort, Section PTN, Zone I of the Tesso Nilo National Park, Pelalawan Regency, with its foot suffering from an infection suspected to be caused by a snare.
The Chief of the Riau Police, Inspector General Herry Heryawan, stated that his team had been deployed with investigators and forensic laboratory personnel. The aim is to ensure that every step of the investigation is carried out professionally and that no conclusions are drawn prematurely before the complete results of the examination are obtained.
“We want to ensure that the process is based on the facts on the ground. Therefore, I, along with the Director of Criminal Investigation and the Head of the Forensic Laboratory, went directly to see the actual condition and support the ongoing examination process,” said Herry in a statement received in Pekanbaru, Thursday.
According to initial information, the carcass of the baby elephant was found at around 12:00 PM on Thursday, February 26, in a state of decomposition. The medical team from the Tesso Nilo National Park estimated that the baby elephant had been dead for more than a week. However, further investigation is being carried out to confirm the exact cause of death.
According to him, the involvement of the criminal investigation unit and the forensic laboratory is an important part of anticipating the possibility of any legal violations, without neglecting the medical process carried out by the conservation authorities.
“We are still waiting for the results of the medical team’s examination through a necropsy. If any indication of a criminal act is found, it will certainly be followed up according to the applicable regulations,” he explained.
The Riau Police are currently coordinating with the Tesso Nilo National Park and the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency to support the collection of data and analysis at the location.
“Further developments regarding the cause of death of the baby elephant will be communicated after the results of the necropsy and the complete field investigation are obtained,” said Herry. (Ant)