Indonesia: Three Sumarta elephants died of poisoning

The danger of extinction of Sumarta elephants in Indonesia continues to increase as environmentalists have reported that three more elephants have been discovered on Sumatra.

A Sumatra elephant herd in Indonesia.

Tesso Nilo National Park official in Riau Province, Indonesia, Kupin Simbolon said the staff had discovered the bodies of three female elephants there on November 11.

The results of the examination show that it seems that all three elephants were killed by poisoning, most likely from farmers' pesticides used to protect their crops.

With the incident, Sumarta elephants died in 11 alone in Riau since March this year. In addition, there are 5 other elephants who died, also from poisoning, in Aceh and Sumatra provinces since April 2012.

Kupin Simbolon warned that a series of Sumarta elephants died of poisoning was a very serious problem, because Sumarta elephants in nature now expect to be less than 3,000, and if so continue. This animal will become extinct within the next 3 decades, not to mention the widespread use of pesticides and plant protection, unmanaged and controlled by farmers, which will harm not only to the environment but human health.