Forest rangers on Friday found the carcass of an elephant in a protected forest in the southern province of Dong Nai, the online newspaper Dan Tri reported.

The decaying elephant, which weighed around three tons, was found in the 14,000-hectare Tan Phu Forest in Dinh Quan District.

According to the provincial Forest Management Department, the elephant may have been dead for 10 days.

Forest rangers said the elephant, which had lived alone in the forest for years, was recently spotted in nearby farmers' fields, presumably searching for food.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, local authorities said.

At least eight elephant deaths have been reported in Dong Nai Province's forests since 2008.