The death of a tame Sumatra elephant has caused anger and outrage that has now spread across the globe. Yongki lived in a wild life refuge and he was a very friendly elephant that often worked with rangers who would patrol the forest looking for poachers.
According to the BBC News on September 22, Yongki often worked with the local authorities keeping wild elephants from destroying the villages in the area. While the cause of the elephant’s death has not been officially released, officials believed someone poisoned him.
He had been killed for his tusks, according to MSN News today. His three-foot tusks had been hacked off, leaving just stumps where they once were. They found no bullet holes or cuts on the elephant. While they are not sure how he died, his tongue was blue, which is indicative of elephants that were poisoned in the past.
Yongki was found dead in the national park where he lived. He was lying on the ground close to a camp in the park and he still had the chains on his legs that his keepers put on him to keep him safe in the park. Locals said that Yongki had a “friendly nature” and they are heartsick and angry that people would do this to this animal.
