KOTA KINABALU – The elephant calf whose right foot was amputated after being wounded by a snare trap in Lahad Datu has died.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the two-year-old female calf was responding to treatment on June 20, but its health deteriorated the next day.
“After the surgery, the elephant was doing well and was seen eating and drinking normally.
“But the next day, she was weak and stressed. Treatment and medications were given, and she responded well. But in the evening, the calf suddenly collapsed.
“It tried several times to stand up and on the same evening at 6.15pm, she stopped breathing and was later confirmed dead by veterinarians,” he said in a statement today.
A post-mortem done this morning showed that the elephant calf died due to the failure of its lungs and heart as well as the bleeding of its stomach, perhaps due to infection after being caught by the snare trap, said Jafry.
The elephant calf’s right foot was amputated on June 20 after veterinarians expressed concern that it would be infected.
The animal was found wandering for about two days with an injured foot caused by a snare trap laid near the plantation area. – The Vibes, June 22, 2022
