ID :
64281
Thu, 06/04/2009 - 20:37
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https://www.oananews.org//node/64281
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FIVE ELEPHANTS DIE DURING MAY IN RIAU
Pekanbaru, Riau, June 4 (ANTARA) - Five elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) died of poisoning during May 2009, in Riau Province, due to ivory hunting and conflicts between the protected elephants and humans.
On May 7, two tamed elephants were killed and their ivories were gone, at Minas elephant training center (PLG), Siak District, Sahimin, head of the Riau Natural Resource and Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said here on Thursday.
On May 28, three elephants were found dead at the area of PT Rimba Peranap Indah (RPI) at the border between Pelalawan and Indragiri Hulu districts, he said.
"This year, five elephants were dead, and all happened in May," Sahimin said.
The five elephants had been poisoned, and the first two male elephants at PLG Minas had even lost their ivories, he said. However, the ivories had not been taken away, but placed near the gate of PLG, he said.
The latest three victims were two female and one calf, and all of them had no ivory, he said. Their carcass were found at acacia plantation area, near a oil palm plantation area.
"The two cases of elephant deaths are now under the investigation process and the results of the dead elephants' autopsies are not yet available," he said.
Meanwhile, information form Vet. Wisnu Wardana, a wild animal forensic expert, said that the elephants were poisoned with organochlor and organophosphate pesticides, which could be bought easily.
"The pesticide type poisons are known from the contents of the elephants' stomaches that we have checked," he said.
Wardana, a chairman of the Indonesian Veterinarian Association, always conduct autopsy of elephants found dead in Riau Province.
He deplored the killings of elephants which often became victims of human encroachment and ivory hunters.
"Killings of elephants have continued in Riau, but no one has been arrested so far for killing the animals considered the world's asset, despite the fact that they died in front of the KSDA," he said.
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On May 7, two tamed elephants were killed and their ivories were gone, at Minas elephant training center (PLG), Siak District, Sahimin, head of the Riau Natural Resource and Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said here on Thursday.
On May 28, three elephants were found dead at the area of PT Rimba Peranap Indah (RPI) at the border between Pelalawan and Indragiri Hulu districts, he said.
"This year, five elephants were dead, and all happened in May," Sahimin said.
The five elephants had been poisoned, and the first two male elephants at PLG Minas had even lost their ivories, he said. However, the ivories had not been taken away, but placed near the gate of PLG, he said.
The latest three victims were two female and one calf, and all of them had no ivory, he said. Their carcass were found at acacia plantation area, near a oil palm plantation area.
"The two cases of elephant deaths are now under the investigation process and the results of the dead elephants' autopsies are not yet available," he said.
Meanwhile, information form Vet. Wisnu Wardana, a wild animal forensic expert, said that the elephants were poisoned with organochlor and organophosphate pesticides, which could be bought easily.
"The pesticide type poisons are known from the contents of the elephants' stomaches that we have checked," he said.
Wardana, a chairman of the Indonesian Veterinarian Association, always conduct autopsy of elephants found dead in Riau Province.
He deplored the killings of elephants which often became victims of human encroachment and ivory hunters.
"Killings of elephants have continued in Riau, but no one has been arrested so far for killing the animals considered the world's asset, despite the fact that they died in front of the KSDA," he said.
***3***
