Authorities in Mondolkiri province’s Keo Seima district have yet to find the killer of a pregnant elephant shot dead earlier this month.

“Police and conservation officials have not yet found the killer more than 20 days after the shooting,” said Kim Sokheng, O’ Am village chief in the Keo Seima district.

He said the elephant was shot four times and had her trunk, two tusks and tail cut off.

Phen Pheaktra, deputy director of Keo Seima Biodiversity Conservation, said that the organisation partnered with village officials and posted a 2-million-riel reward for the discovery or capture of the killer on September 20.

“The elephant nearly gave birth, but unfortunately she was killed,” Phen Pheaktra said.

He said officials had expanded the hunt for the poacher to Vietnam after hearing the trunk, tusks, and tail were sold there, but had not found anything conclusive.

Of the 300 elephants that inhabit Cambodia, 116 are protected in Mondolkiri’s Keo Seiman conservation area, Phen Pheaktra said.