A 3-month-old elephant calf was found dead in Yok Don National Park in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on Sunday, the third death in this year.

The baby elephant was found lying dead on its side near a stream in the park in Buon Don District, Do Quang Tung, director of the park, said Tuesday.

“The animal’s body was decomposed, and there were no signs showing the calf had been attacked,” Tung said.

“This means the death is caused by natural factor, not by human impact.”

The elephant was 0.7 meters tall and weighed about 100 kg, according to the park’s director.

The calf was a member of an elephant herd of some 14 individuals that frequently flock at the area.

There were many elephant footprints at different sizes surrounding the site, which shows that other members in the herd were possibly trying to cure the baby elephant, Tung said.

The body was then destroyed by the national park’s forest rangers and local authorities to keep the surrounding clean.

The baby elephant was the third to be found dead at Yok Don National Park this year, following the deaths of an age-old elephant in July and a calf in April.

The elephants allegedly died after being stuck in mud, according to the park officers.

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