SRI LANKA’S HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT CLAIMS OVER 3,000 WILD ELEPHANT LIVES IN DEVASTATING 9-YEAR TOLL

Fri 07 February 2025:

A total of 3,477 wild elephants and 1,190 people have died in Sri Lanka between 2015 and 2024 due to the ongoing human-elephant conflict, said a minister on Thursday.

Minister of Environment Dammika Patabendi told parliament that 1,466 wild elephants died between 2015 and 2019, while 2,011 more fatalities were recorded from 2020 to 2024. Regarding human fatalities, 456 deaths occurred between 2015 and 2019, and 734 people died between 2020 and 2024.

Patabendi acknowledged that resolving the human-elephant conflict would take time but assured lawmakers that adequate funds would be allocated in the upcoming budget to address the issue.

As part of the government’s plan, measures under consideration include constructing electric fences, reopening blocked elephant corridors, and increasing the availability of food in the forests where elephants reside, he said.

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Elephants are primarily killed for their ivory, meat, and hides, as well as due to human-wildlife conflict.

Where: Poaching hotspots include Africa (e.g., Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya) and Asia (e.g., India, Indonesia).

Numbers: Approximately 20,000 elephants are killed annually, with African elephant populations declining by 8% per year.

Threats:

1. Poaching: Driven by demand for ivory, particularly in Asia.
2. Human-wildlife conflict: As habitats shrink, elephants encroach on farmland, leading to retaliatory killings.
3. Habitat loss: Deforestation and urbanization fragment habitats, isolating elephant populations.

Conservation efforts: Governments, NGOs, and local communities are working together to:

1. Protect habitats: Establishing national parks and wildlife reserves.
2. Combat poaching: Strengthening anti-poaching laws and enforcement.
3. Promote human-wildlife coexistence: Implementing compensation schemes for crop damage and promoting sustainable land-use practices.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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