Asian Elephant Skeleton To Become New Attraction At Terengganu Museum

KUALA TERENGGANU, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- The male skeleton of an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is set to become the latest attraction at the Natural History Gallery in the Terengganu State Museum, according to director Mohd Iskandar Muhammad Aziz.

He said the skeleton was reconstructed during an Elephant Bone Curation Workshop held from Dec 1 to 4 in collaboration with the Natural History Museum in Kuala Lumpur and the museum’s Natural Resources Division.

The specimen is believed to have been aged between five and 10 years, based on the condition of its teeth and undeveloped tusks, he added.

Initial findings indicate the elephant died of natural causes and was found near a roadside in the Kampung Pasir Raja Forest Reserve, Dungun on April 8, 2010.

“Despite recovering only slightly more than 110 bones, compared with the usual 326 to 351 in a complete skeleton, the specimen was successfully reconstructed,” he said.

The bone collection was reported to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) Terengganu and officially recorded as part of the museum board’s collection.

Challenges included the insufficient number of bones, which required replica replacements, and the large size and weight of the bones during assembly.

The bones were cleaned and assembled using academic references, with their natural colour preserved to ensure a realistic appearance, he added.

“The exhibition aims to raise public awareness on the conservation of Asian elephants, which are classified as endangered and listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List,” he noted.

The Natural History Gallery will undergo upgrading works beginning next year and will reopen to visitors once it is completed.

-- BERNAMA