Premature Sumatran elephant found dead in Aceh

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Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) – A premature Sumatran elephant calf was found dead at a former plantation concession in East Aceh District, Aceh Province, with conservation officials suspecting a natural birth complication or miscarriage.

Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Chief Ujang Wisnu Barata said Saturday that patrol officers reported finding the calf in Seumanah Jaya Village, Ranto Peureulak Subdistrict.

“Our patrol team reported Friday, August 14, finding a newborn elephant in premature condition, with its placenta still present. It was already dead,” he said.

Based on initial information from the field team, the calf’s death was suspected to be linked to a natural birth process or miscarriage in the wild.

“This was a birth or miscarriage in the wild,” he said.

The calf was found lying on muddy ground in a former plantation concession area. The discovery was reported to the conservation agency for handling under procedures governing protected wildlife.

The Aceh agency will verify conditions at the site and handle the calf’s carcass in accordance with wildlife conservation regulations.

The Sumatran elephant is a protected species. The IUCN Red List classifies it as critically endangered, meaning it faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Authorities urged residents to help protect Sumatran elephants by preserving forests, their habitat, and refraining from capturing, injuring or killing wildlife.

Residents were also urged not to keep, possess, breed, transport or trade protected wildlife, whether alive or dead, or use traps or poison that could kill them.

Violations involving protected wildlife can carry criminal penalties under Indonesian law, authorities said.