A pygmy elephant with a rare trait has been discovered in Malaysia, where its tusks curve downward instead of the typical upward orientation, giving it a striking resemblance to a prehistoric saber-toothed tiger.
This unusual find was made by a team of wildlife specialists at a palm oil plantation in Sabah on Borneo Island.
“It’s very rare,” commented Sen Nathan, assistant director of the Sabah Wildlife Department. While the exact cause of the tusk anomaly is uncertain, Nathan suggested it could be due to a congenital defect or possibly inbreeding.
He noted a similar sighting was captured on camera several years ago, with another instance recorded in 2015 in Sabah.
Plans are underway to relocate this elephant to an elephant sanctuary in Sabah for temporary care. The department aims to release it into a suitable wild habitat later, which will be monitored with a tracking device.
“The tusks resemble those of a prehistoric saber-toothed tiger, though, of course, they’re not related,” said Andrew Sebastian, co-founder of the Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia.
Sebastian added that this rare feature could add to the appeal of wildlife watching in Sabah. However, he expressed concern that the downward-facing tusks might create challenges for the elephant in social interactions with others of its kind.
A study conducted roughly ten years ago estimated that there are around 2,000 elephants in Sabah, though wildlife officials plan to conduct a new survey soon.
While poaching is less of a threat here, habitat loss from development and population growth remains the primary challenge for these elephants, according to Nathan.