(Rizal Harahap - The Jakarta Post)

Pekanbaru, Riau   /   Tue, October 8, 2019

Wild elephant named Dita found dead

inside wildlife reserve
A female elephant was found dead at the Balai Raja wildlife conservation area in
Pinggir district, Bengkalis regency, Riau on Monday.

Examination of the physical conditions led to the conclusion the animal was Dita, one
of the wild elephants of the wildlife conservation area.

The team believes the elephant was Dita, whose left front foot was cut off when the
elephant was first found in 2014, unable to move in the jungle because it was
trapped.

Bengkalis-based Rimba Satwa Foundation coordinator Zulhusni said the carcass of

the elephant was found near a vocational school, SMK 1 Pinggir.

Currently, there are still six wild elephants at the Balai Raja wildlife conservation
area.

The area for elephants to live at Balai Raja keeps decreasing because of land being
converted into palm oil plantations and housing.

“The government needs to save Balai Raja so that elephants will not lose their
place,” he added.