A gang of people in Indonesia poisoned an endangered Sumatran elephant, removed its tusks and chopped up its body before dumping it into a river, a local wildlife official said Sunday.
The gruesome killing of the 15-year-old male was carried out on an oil palm plantation in the Tamiang Hulu area of Aceh province last month by more than 10 people, provincial nature conservation agency official Ridwan told AFP.
"An eyewitness said after the tusks were removed, the elephant was cut up to pieces and then thrown into the river," Ridwan said, adding that the accounts were confirmed by local wildlife officials and campaigners.
A team will be sent to the area on Monday to carry out further investigations, he said.
Conflict between humans and animals are a rising problem in the massive archipelago as forests are destroyed for timber or to make way for palm oil, forcing animals such as elephants and tigers into closer contact with people.
There are about 2,400 to 2,800 Sumatran elephants in Indonesia, according to environmentxal group WWF. They are the smallest of the Asian elephants.
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