Illegal poaching claimed the lives of two elephants that were found shot and their tusks removed in Tanggamus regency in Lampung, just a few kilometers from the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park.

"The carcasses were left to rot and their tusks taken," said Andoyo, an environmentalist in Tanggamus, on Friday. It is thought the elephants were shot last week.

He said the elephants were shot dead as could be seen from the bullet wounds in their skulls and legs.

The director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment in Lampung, Mukri Friatna, said it was difficult to prevent elephant poaching as no action was ever taken against the culprits.

In 2003, four elephants were shot dead in Kuala Penet, near Way Kambas National Park. Eight other elephants were also found dead near the same park in July last year. Each elephant had been relieved of their tusks, which fetch Rp 5 million (US$500) per kilogram.