Borneo Pygmy elephant Rocco suddenly sickens and dies - An endangered Borneo Pygmy elephant, Rocco, has died in captivity at the...

Borneo Pygmy elephant Rocco suddenly sickens and dies
By MUGUNTHAN VANAR

KOTA KINABALU: An endangered Borneo Pygmy elephant, Rocco, has died in captivity at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park here.

Rocco, reportedly about 27 years old, died at 3.30am on Monday, hardly 24-hours after it showed signs of weakness that was treated with emergency intravenous and subcutaneous fluid therapy.

Sabah Wildlife Department senior veterinarian Dr Sen Nathan said Tuesday that the cause of death was due to prolonged lying in a reclined position (recumbence) that put pressure on the internal organs and triggered respiratory and circulatory failure in the Rocco’s body.

He said blood samples had been sent to the Veterinary Services Department’s Animal Disease Research Centre for bacteriological investigations to ascertain the possible cause for its sickness.

Rocco had given birth to three calves over the years in captivity - two females named Sumandak and Amoi and a male named Ganesh.

The Borneo Pygmy elephant has an estimated life span of about 60 years in the wild.

Sabah Wildlife department director Dr Laurentius Ambu said Rocco was healthy and eating well before it suddenly became weak.

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