Govt. urged to safeguard animals and nature through scientific, humane policies

From left: Conservationist Jayantha Wijesinghe, Tails of Freedom’s Shilpa Samaratunge, AWPA Iromi Salgado, Animal Welfare Trust Sharmini Ratnayake, Environmentalist, Conservationist and Wildlife Specialist Rukshan Jayawardena, Venerable Pagoda Janithawansha Thero, Venerable Kumbiyagoda Meththananda Thero, Venerable Thammannagama Mahanama, Kotte Animal Welfare Rehan Samarakone, Rescue Animals Sri Lanka Anusha David, Attorney-at-Law Thanuja Navaratne, Animal Wellness Trust Dr. Krishanthi Rondon Fuentes, and Justice for Animals Madri Jayasekera

A landmark gathering took place in Colombo this Wednesday, bringing together members of the Buddhist clergy, animal welfare organisations, corporate representatives, and citizens. United by a shared sense of urgency, they made a collective appeal to the Government to adopt evidence-based, humane, and sustainable policies to protect animals and nature across Sri Lanka.

Their message was unequivocal: “Adopt proven scientific methods rather than ad hoc, knee-jerk reactions that are short-lived and often do more harm than good.”

A national emergency: The elephant crisis

Venerable Pagoda Janithawansha Thero opened the event with a powerful appeal to protect Sri Lanka’s elephants, describing them as both a national symbol and a vital part of the country’s ecosystem. Drawing on the latest data, he emphasised the urgent need for scientifically grounded solutions to the worsening Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC).

Citing conservation expert Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando, the Thero noted that 44% of Sri Lanka’s land area is now shared by humans and elephants—representing 70% of the current elephant range. Despite decades of efforts to confine elephants to protected zones which only cover 30% of their habitat, the strategy has failed, and conflict has escalated.

Electric fencing built and maintained by local communities has been proven globally to reduce these confrontations. This approach allows elephants and humans to avoid direct conflict, easing tensions and saving lives on both sides.

Yet the numbers speak for themselves, revealing a modern-day tragedy unfolding across the island. Between 2015 and 2024, nearly 600 elephants were killed, most of them victims of human-elephant conflict.

These are not just statistics—they are a stark reminder of a collective failure and moral crisis that challenges our values as a society. Already in 2025, with just over seven months gone, 224 elephant deaths have been recorded. If this trend continues, Sri Lanka could see another tragic year of loss for one of its most iconic species.

Street dogs: Myths, realities, and missed opportunities

Sri Lanka has long struggled with its street dog population. For over a century, the Rabies Ordinance Act of 1893 encouraged the outdated colonial-era “catch and kill” approach, which has proven ineffective and inhumane. A significant policy shift came in 2006 under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, when the Government adopted a more scientific and proven approach: sterilisation, vaccination, and return to territory.

Yet despite these efforts, the street dog population continues to grow. The problem is not simply logistical—it is also cultural, behavioural, and institutional. Unwanted litters are frequently dumped by roadsides. The breeding industry remains entirely unregulated. No single government agency has taken full ownership of the issue, leading to a lack of accountability.

A past survey in Colombo found that 46% of the dogs seen on the streets were, in fact, owned but allowed to roam freely. Dogs are territorial by nature; removing them from an area simply invites others to take their place.

Global success stories

While Sri Lanka struggles with implementation, other countries offer clear, effective models:

Singapore replaced its catch-and-kill policy in 2018 and sterilised 80% of its street dog population within a year through a public-private partnership involving veterinarians, animal groups, and community feeders.

Similarly Bhutan, upholding its Buddhist principles, launched a national campaign in 2022 and achieved 100% sterilisation and vaccination by 2023. As a result, the country is expected to see a 70% reduction in its street dog population by 2028.

India, through its Animal Birth Control Rules, replaced catch-and-kill and adopted sterilisation as its official national policy in 2001. Cities like Vadodara have already sterilised 86% of their street dog population, which will reduce its street dog population 60-70% by 2027. Lucknow is on target to sterilise 90% by December 2025, effectively bringing an end to its street dog population within the next four years.

By contrast, Sri Lanka’s 2006 commitment to sterilise one million dogs in five years was never properly resourced or coordinated. Since then, a series of poorly executed, short-lived initiatives have come and gone. For example, under then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Government introduced mass caging, which removed dogs without addressing their ability to continue reproducing.

However, the potential for success is real. According to one veterinary expert, if the Government sterilises 400,000 female dogs over two years and maintains the effort over the next three, the entire street dog problem could be solved within a single parliamentary term. Street dogs in Sri Lanka live only 4–6 years, making population control through sterilisation a realistic and humane solution.

A humane approach to wildlife management

Environmental scientist Dr. Ranil Senanayake also addressed the increasing conflict between humans and monkey populations, especially in agricultural areas. Rather than resorting to culling, Dr. Senanayake proposed innovative methods grounded in Sri Lanka’s Buddhist values of ahimsa or nonviolence.

He advocated for the use of feeding stations with food laced with high-dose progesterone, a scientifically proven method to curb reproduction in primates—first tested on Resus monkeys decades ago. This strategy, he said, offers a peaceful and effective alternative to the current reliance on violence or the distribution of firearms to rural communities.

Conclusion: The time for action is now

Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads. The problems facing its elephants, wildlife, and street dogs, are not unsolvable—they require political will, scientific insight, and coordinated implementation. Proven global models are readily available. The question is whether the Government will act before more animal and human lives are needlessly lost.

Participants included: Venerable Pagoda Janithawansha Thero, Venerable Kumbiyagoda Meththananda Thero, Venerable Thammannagama Mahanama, Venerable Urawula Sekara Thero, Sharmini Ratnayake (Animal Welfare Trust), Dr. Krishanthi Rondon Fuentes (Animal Wellness Trust), Anusha David (RAS), representatives from Animal SOS, Shilpa Samaratunge (Tails of Freedom), Attorney-at-Law Thanuja Navaratne, Iromi Salgado (AWPA), Rehan Samarakone – Kotte Animal Welfare , Madri Jayasekera (Justice for Animals), Rukshan Jayawardene (environmentalist), Dr. Ranil Senanayake (Chairman, Earthrestoration P/L), and Jayantha Wijesinghe – Conservationist.