LETTER | Borneo Pygmy elephants are considered the world's rarest and precious wildlife species. The pygmy elephants have been listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.

It is estimated that about fifty percent of the nation's precious pygmy elephant species has perished in the last 60-70 years primarily due to degradation, fragmentation and loss of habitats.

The recent news reports emerging from Sabah regarding the recovery of at least three carcasses of beheaded pygmy elephants are saddening and horrifying.

It speaks volumes of the sorry state of affairs of our precious wildlife under the protection of the authorities.

The wildlife authorities appear to be in a "daze" as to how such a heinous beheading of pygmy elephants took place under their watch.

The Sabah Wildlife Department is now apparently offering financial rewards for any information leading to the arrest of those who committed this barbaric crime.

However, it is obvious that the Sabah wildlife authorities are facing a daunting task in protecting our precious pygmy elephants.

If the wildlife authorities are clueless to such heinous wildlife crimes, it does not reflect well on their professionalism.

Review existing procedures

It's time the Sabah wildlife authorities urgently review the existing wildlife protection strategies in view of such horrifying crimes.

A special intelligence gathering unit should be set up to gather information regarding wildlife crimes. Offering financial awards to the public for critical information or tip-offs may be of some help.

The wildlife authorities should also seriously consider employing modern electronic surveillance technologies in safeguarding our threatened wildlife, such as our precious pygmy elephants.

Several countries have successfully employed electronic wildlife surveillance systems, including the use of drones, to protect their threatened wildlife species.

It is time our wildlife authorities put on their thinking caps and take proactive measures to protect the nation's precious wildlife.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.