KOTA KINABALU: A man from Semporna was arrested today over suspected turtle-poaching activities.
The arrest came about following the discovery of numerous mutilated green sea turtle carcasses in Pulau Bum Bum, off Semporna last week.
Sabah Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga said the 60-year-old man from Kampung Pantau-Pantau in Bum-Bum island will be remanded until Friday.
"The department is continuing its search for other suspects in days to come.
"The search will cover several islands in Semporna waters," he said, adding the arrest was made based on information from the public as well as the village head.
Last week, the department's investigators went to Pulau Bum-Bum following reports on social media of the carcasses.
On Saturday, turtles carcasses were also found floating in the waters near Pulau Mabul in Semporna.
Green sea turtles are classified as endangered and are a protected species.
Meanwhile, on the killing of a male Bornean pygmy elephant in Kinabatangan last week, Augustine said investigations are still ongoing.
He said investigations suggest that the elephant was not native to the area in Kinabatangan. Inspections along Sungai Kayoh, where the carcass was found, revealed no elephant footprints.
"It means that the elephant did not come from the area.
"We have identified several suspects in the case," he said.
The carcass of the Bornean pygmy elephant, aged between 15 and 20, was spotted by a group of tourists on a river cruise near Sungai Koyah in Kinabatangan.
Poachers had removed the endangered mammal’s tusks and cut off its left leg at the thigh.