An endangered Asian elephant died in eastern Cambodia after sustaining a severe foot wound caused by a snare trap, officials said on Monday.
“The young male-elephant died on Sunday, a day after he was rescued from the gory snare in the jungle,” Xinhua news agency quoted Sin Vannavuth, Governor of Mondolkiri province’s Keo Seima district, as saying.
The elephant was trapped inside the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary for days before he was found by locals, he said.
“The elephant died of serious injury on his front, left foot and no food and water when he had been in trap for days,” the governor said.
He said that hunters set snare traps with aims to kill smaller wild animals, but unfortunately caught the wild Asian elephant.
Cambodia is home to over 500 wild elephants, according to the Forestry Administration.