Sri Lanka marks World Elephant Day amid rising human-elephant conflict

Sri Lanka marked World Elephant Day on Wednesday amid growing concern over threats to the country’s wild elephant population.

The Ministry of Environment said elephants play an important role in maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity but face increasing pressure from human activity.

The ministry said years of unplanned development had blocked elephant corridors and traditional migration routes, worsening environmental pressures.

Centre for Environmental Justice Chairperson Hemantha Withanage said more than 400 elephants are killed annually in Sri Lanka, while nearly 200 people die each year in the human-elephant conflict.

He said 180 elephant deaths and 56 human deaths had been recorded so far this year.

Around 75 of the elephant deaths were believed to have resulted from human activity, including about 30 shootings, 23 electrocutions and 19 deaths caused by explosive devices known as “hakka patas”.

Withanage also questioned estimates of Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population, noting that earlier figures placed it at around 5,000 while a recent wildlife survey indicated more than 7,000.

Meanwhile, police are investigating the death of a 43-year-old man who was killed in a wild elephant attack in Ambanpola on Tuesday evening.

Police said the man was attacked while trying to chase elephants away from his paddy field.