KLUANG, May 5 — Two female elephants were found dead, believed to be from accidentally ingesting herbicide, at a vegetable farm near the Kahang Dam area here yesterday.
Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Salman Saaban said investigators determined that the carcasses were that of two juvenile females estimated to be aged between five and six years old.
Based on the condition of the carcasses, he said the two elephants may have died more than a week ago.
“At about 5pm yesterday, Perhilitan received a public complaint related to the discovery of the two elephant carcasses in a vegetable farm near the Kahang Dam and Kluang Forest Reserve.
“Checks revealed that there were no traces of gunshots found on the elephants,” said Salman in a statement issued tonight.
Salman said that the dead elephants were believed to be from a group of south-eastern elephants numbering 25 to 30 that often roamed around the area in search of food.
He added that the department took several samples to determine the actual cause of the elephants’ death before their carcasses were buried at a nearby area earlier today.
