Malaysia pygmy elephant gores handler to death
- The handler was treating an injured calf when another captive adult elephant suddenly ‘tusked him very badly’ in the chest and abdomen
- The tragedy happened on December 25 at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park on Borneo island, which serves as a sanctuary for 16 pygmy elephants
A pygmy elephant gored its handler to death at a wildlife park in Malaysia’s eastern Sabah state in a Christmas Day tragedy, conservation officials revealed on Thursday.
Joe Fred Lansou, 49, was treating an injured calf when another captive adult elephant suddenly “tusked him very badly” in the chest and abdomen, Sabah Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga said.
“He died at the scene,” Tuuga added.
The tragedy took place on December 25 at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park on Borneo island.
“It is truly an unfortunate incident. We will undertake an investigation to determine the cause,” the state’s minister for tourism, culture and environment, Jafry Ariffin, said.
The park serves as a sanctuary for 16 pygmy elephants, an endangered species, but has just six staff members to manage them.