AFP 15 Jun 09;
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Poachers may have used poisoned pineapples to kill an endangered Sumatran elephant for its valuable tusks, environmental group WWF said Monday.
The male was found dead in a pulp plantation in Riau province, Sumatra, last Friday with its tusks removed, WWF spokeswoman Syamsidar told AFP, the seventh recent suspected victim of poachers.
"Pineapple fibres were found in its stomach. The fruit could have been poisoned," she added.
Six other Sumatran elephants had been killed in Riau in the last two months and two were found with missing tusks, Syamsidar said.
"We believe it could be the work of poachers. Cut pieces of ivory could be sold for five million rupiah (495 dollars) a kilogramme and whole tusks for 25 to 30 million rupiah a kilogramme," Syamsidar said.
"We want the authorities to take firm action against the poachers because the Sumatran elephants are an endangered species and must be protected."
Conflicts between wild animals and humans are on the rise on Sumatra, where legal and illegal logging is rapidly reducing the tropical jungle.
There are about 2,400 to 2,800 Sumatran elephants in Indonesia, of which 200 to 250 are in Riau, she added.
