Kota Kinabalu: The video of an elephant with a severely injured trunk that went viral on social media has fuelled fears of more attempts to target Sabah’s endangered pygmy elephants for their tusks.
The elephant is believed to have been roaming in the Felda Kalabakan Selatan area near Tawau, where authorities are now carrying out monitoring operations.
There were unverified claims that two new elephants had allegedly fallen victim to snaring activities in the Danum Road and Kalabakan areas.
The latest case surfaced just days after a male Borneo Pygmy Elephant was found dead in the Sungai Pinangah Forest Reserve in Tongod on May 17, with part of its head removed, believed linked to the extraction of the animal’s tusks.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said preliminary findings showed estate workers in Tongod heard a loud explosion-like sound at about 5.30pm on the same day.
However, inspection efforts could not be carried out immediately due to continuous heavy rain throughout the night, he said in a statement on Monday.
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The incident triggered widespread outrage and renewed calls for stronger wildlife protection measures and tougher enforcement against poaching and animal cruelty in Sabah.
Jafry said the injured elephant case came to public attention following the circulation of a video showing the animal with an apparent trunk injury.
He said a report regarding the elephant had been lodged last week, prompting search and field monitoring operations on May 13 and 14.
“However, the elephant could not be found during the operation,” he said.
As the animal could not be located, rescue intervention could not be initiated at that stage, with further action dependent on fresh sightings or new information from the field.
According to preliminary veterinary assessments, trunk injuries in elephants are highly complex and difficult to treat, with reconstruction procedures carrying a low likelihood of fully restoring normal trunk function.
Jafry said rescue efforts, if required, could involve surgery to remove damaged tissue or reconstruct torn trunk muscles, followed by intensive post-surgical care, feeding management and continuous monitoring for up to two weeks.
Initial observations suggested that the wound had shown some signs of healing, although the closure was not ideal.
Field rangers from the Sabah Wildlife Department are continuing to closely monitor the elephant’s condition.
“At this stage, the condition has not shown evidence of severe infection that could immediately threaten the elephant’s survival,” he said.
Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the injury, although snaring remains among the possibilities being investigated.
Other possibilities being examined include injuries caused by sharp objects or accidental contact with harvesting tools used in oil palm plantations.
The Bornean elephant remains one of Sabah’s most iconic and protected wildlife species.
Authorities are continuing investigations into both cases.
