Zero Tolerance for Wildlife Cruelty: Sabah Issues Stern Warning to Poachers After Second Pygmy Elephant Found Dead in Weeks

KOTA KINABALU, April 6 — Those responsible for the brutal killing of Borneo pygmy elephants in Sabah will face the full force of the law, warns Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew.

Her statement comes in the wake of the recent discovery of a decapitated Borneo pygmy elephant in Tawau, as confirmed by Sabah Wildlife Department director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar.

Liew expressed grave concern over what is now the second such incident in a short span, suggesting a worrying trend of illegal poaching activity in the state.

“The Sabah Wildlife Department has launched an immediate investigation into the matter. Acts of cruelty and poaching targeting Sabah’s protected wildlife are absolutely unacceptable. We will leave no stone unturned in identifying the perpetrators, ensuring they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said in a statement today.

She added that enforcement efforts are being intensified, including joint operations and roadblocks with other security agencies at strategic points to deter further illegal activities.

Liew emphasized that the latest case highlights the urgent need for sustained vigilance and cooperation between state and federal authorities, local communities, and the public.

“We urge all parties to come forward with any information that could assist in the investigation and to remain united in our mission to protect Sabah’s rich biodiversity,” she said.

With only an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Borneo pygmy elephants remaining in the wild, Liew said each loss is a major blow to conservation efforts.

She also stressed that the species is fully protected under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, and any offence against it carries heavy penalties, including significant fines and imprisonment. — Bernama