An elephant electrocuted to death in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A tourism official said an endangered Sumatran elephant has been found dead, apparently after biting a high-voltage wire in a recreation park in central Indonesia.

Aziz Ahmad, head of cultural and tourism office in the central Java town of Banjarnegara said Thursday that the 14-year-old female elephant was found lying in her cage Wednesday at the Serulingmas Wildlife Recreation Park, with the power line in her burned mouth.

He said the electrical wires had been connected to a nearby power pole by welders repairing the cages.

The death leaves only a 22-year-old male in the park.

More human activity in the jungles means that fewer than 3,000 Sumatran elephants are left in the wild.