JAKARTA, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Sumatran elephant was found dead of suspected poisoning in Tesso Nilo National Park in the Indonesian province of Riau, the national park agency's head said on Thursday.
Tesso Nilo National Park Agency Head Heru Sutmantoro told local media that the death of the elephant, named Rahman, was first known by its mahout on Wednesday. Rahman did not give its usual response when it was called for eating some fruits, he said.
"When it was approached, Rahman was already found lying limp with its left tusk already cut and missing," Sutmantoro said, adding that rangers of the national park suspected the 46-year-old elephant was paralyzed by poison used by poachers before its tusk was cut off.
Veterinarians from the province were called to save the elephant, but it passed away at around 4 p.m local time.
"After a necropsy was carried out by the veterinary team, they suspect that Rahman's death was most likely due to poisoning," said Sutmantoro, adding that his team has reported the case to the local police for further investigation.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Sumatran elephant in the Red List of critically-endangered species. ■
