The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) asked the Indonesian government to set up a team to manage human- elephant conflict as the habitat of the endangered species keeps dwindling, which led to an elephant's death in Riau province of Sumatra at the weekend, local media reported here on Monday.

The frail adult female elephant, along with two calves, was found on March 21, blocking access to a housing complex in Balai Raja village in Bengkalis district, Riau.

Based on the blood samples, the elephant was suffering from gastrointestinal problems and was not able to digest any food, Rini Deswita, veterinarian from the provincial Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) was quoted by Jakarta globe as saying.

"It was also severely dehydrated. We will know the precise cause of death after we perform an autopsy," she said.

Samsuardi, who works on Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation at WWF Riau, said he suspected the elephant had been poisoned.

His organization on Sunday called on the government to immediately establish a so-called Flying Squad to address human- elephant conflict in Balai Raja.

"Balai Raja contains the largest population of elephants in Riau," said Syamsidar, a spokesman for WWF Riau, on Sunday, "But because their habitat has been destroyed to make way for residences and plantations, the animals are suffering."

In 1990, 16,000 hectares of land in Balai Raja was set aside for the Marwa Wildlife Sanctuary. At present, however, only 120 hectares remains, most of which is secondary forest.

Didi, a Balai Raja local, said a few residents had tried to feed and bathe the female elephant after seeing it mistreated. Some residents threw objects at the elephant after it ate their crops, he said.