The Star 3 May 16;
ALOR STAR: A group of anglers stumbled upon the carcass of an elephant with its tusks removed near Pedu Lake on May 1, most likely killed by poachers.
The elephant died about two weeks ago, according to anglers who had passed by the Charok Jit area on their way to the lake.
Amir Wahab, secretary of the Tasik Pedu Fishermen, Breeders and Tourism Association cooperative, said he was told of the dead animal by a member of his staff, Faizuan Abu Hashim, 22.
Amir, 43, said he went to the area at about 3pm and found the elephant.
He said poachers could have hidden behind an illegal jetty in Tasik Pedu to attack the elephant when it emerged from the jungle for water.
"During the current El Nino phenomenon, wild animals such as elephants emerge from the jungle to drink from the lake," he said.
Fishermen in the area do not harm wildlife because they are focused on catching fish and only use jetties approved by local authorities, said Amir who operates a boathouse on Tasik Pedu.
He hoped that the state government and relevant authorities will act against poachers in the lake area.
Kedah Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department director Mohamad Hafid Rohani, when contacted, said a post-mortem will be done on the elephant to determine its cause of death.
He said there were two cases of elephant deaths in the area several years ago from poisoning. - Bernama
Jumbo death stirs up big flap
G.C. TAN The Star 4 May 16;
KUALA NERANG: Photographs of the carcass of an elephant minus its tusks lying on the bank of Pedu Lake near Hujung Kampung Pinang have gone viral.
It was quickly shared by Rizalis’ friend Christine Das who wrote: “I am so so sad today...Sigh! I truly hate humans who kill such innocent animals for greed and their selfish reasons...Yes..I hate. I really hate this part of mankind.”
The posting attracted wide reaction from social media users. Among them was SyauQi Beverly who asked: “Adakah gajah mati dulu baru org ambik gading?” (Did the elephant die before someone took its tusks?)
Boatman Abu Othman Ibrahim, 60, said that he saw the elephant looking healthy about two months back.
“I don’t think poachers killed it as some fishermen had noticed the elephant was sickly and walking with difficulty about two weeks ago,” he said.
A team from the Kedah Wildlife and National Parks Department took away a small part of the tusk yesterday.
Was elephant near Lake Pedu killed for its tusks?
MASRIWANIE MUHAMADING New Straits Times 3 May 16;
PADANG TERAP: The discovery on an adult elephant carcass near the shore of Lake Peru here has raised speculation that it could have been killed for its tusks.
Pedu Lake Fishermen and Breeders Cooperative Association secretary Amir Wahab said the carcass, located about an hour away from the Charok Air Keroh jetty, was discovered by a group of men fishing in the area on Sunday (May 1).
"Based on the condition of the carcass with its face and tusks hauled off, we believed that it was killed for the ivory.
"It is not surprising that the culprits managed to escape as there have been no security personnel guarding the area.
"The hunters may have used the jetty of the old resort near here to avoid being caught," he said.
Amir said this was the first time that an elephant carcass has been found in the lake area.
"For as long as I can remember, I think this is the first such case in the Pedu lake," he said.
Meanwhile, Kedah Wildlife and National Parks Department director Mohamad Hafid Rohani said they have received a report on the incident from the locals and are investigating the matter.
Wildlife Dept probing elephant’s death
G.C. TAN The Star 5 May 16;
KUALA NERANG: Samples from the elephant carcass found in Pedu Lake were obtained by the Wildlife and National Parks Department forensic team to determine the cause of death.
Its state director Mohamad Hafid Rohani said, when contacted, that the team took the samples back to its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur for further examination.
“We are still in the dark over the elephant’s death,” he said.
The Star visited the site where the carcass was found, accompanied by 60-year-old fisherman Abu Othman Ibrahim who said he had seen many elephants roaming the area.
“I think I spotted that particular elephant two months ago and it seemed heathy at that time.
“Two weeks later, I found it dead and floating in the lake.
“Last week, I came across the carcass again. This time it was at the riverbank in an area called Charok Jaik.
“I found many elephant footprints leading to the carcass, I believe the animals were checking out their dead comrade,” he said.
Abu Othman said it was unlikely that poachers had killed the elephant as a few fishermen had spotted an elephant walking in an unsteady manner and appearing sick about two months back.
Meanwhile, state Environment committee chairman Datuk Dr Leong Yong Kong said the carcass was left untouched in accordance with the Wildlife Department’s standard operating procedure.
He added that a check showed no gunshot wounds on the carcass.
