The discovery of a second headless carcass belonging to an endangered pygmy elephant in the forests of Malaysia’s Sabah has raised alarm over a resurgence of ivory poaching, with conservationists linking the killings to tusk dowries in neighbouring Indonesia.
Wildlife smuggling in Malaysia continues to thrive despite sporadic crackdowns, with trafficking networks exploiting remote border regions like Sabah – as well as major transit points like the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Sabah Wildlife Department discovered the decapitated carcass last week in the Tibow rainforest, deep in the state’s interior – the second since January in the same area.
There are believed to be only around 1,000 pygmy elephants left in the wild, as deforestation and poaching have decimated their numbers.
Sabah’s tourism, culture and environment minister, Christina Liew, said roadblocks had been set up in a bid to catch the poachers.
“The ministry views the latest discovery of the headless carcass of a Bornean pygmy elephant seriously, especially since it is the second such incident in a short period of time,” Liew said on Monday.
