New subspecies of elephant discovered on Borneo island
New subspecies of elephant discovered on Borneo island
Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur
Elephants on the island of Borneo, believed to be the smallest in the world, have been reclassified as a distinct subspecies after new genetic tests, a wildlife official say.
The Malaysian chapter of the Worldwide Fund for Nature reported the findings following studies on the herd with Malaysia's Wildlife and National Parks Department in the state of Sabah, in northern Borneo.
WWF officer Teoh Teik Hong said the Borneo elephants - called Pygmy Elephants - are smaller and have larger ears, longer tails and straighter tusks than typical Asian elephants. The beasts, believed to number between 100 and 200, are milder-tempered than African and Asian elephants.
During the study, intestinal cells collected from mucus adhering to fresh elephant dung was collected and sent for genetic testing at Columbia University in New York, where researchers found that the Borneo herd separated from their Asian cousins 300,000 years ago.
"The genetic pool changed as time went on, and evolution happened," Teoh told The Associated Press. "We've been speculating about this for a few years now but until now no one knew for sure."
One theory on the origins of the herd suggested descent from tame Asian elephants presented as gifts to the Sultan of Sulu, the ruler of northeastern Borneo, by the British East India Company in the 17th century, the wildlife agency said in a press statement.
According to Teoh, a second theory that the herd migrated across swampy land from Indonesia's Sumatra during the Ice Age, more than 10,000 years ago, more closely reflects results of the new tests. The elephants remained trapped on what is now Borneo after sea levels rose.
He said more long-term monitoring is necessary to determine the lifespan and adequate conservation methods.
Large parts of Borneo, divided among Indonesia in the south, Malaysia in the north and the tiny oil sultanate of Brunei, remain swathed in dense rain forests, although development is encroaching. More than 100 endangered species populate the ancient jungle.