Mitigating human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka

Tuesday, 12 August 2025 03:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The human-elephant conflict has now reached alarming levels

Everything on this earth is a creation of nature. As humans, we have no right to destroy what nature has created. The decision to sustain or eliminate any species or element of the environment lies with nature itself. For instance, dinosaurs once roamed the earth, but their extinction was a natural process, not a human decision.

Historically, people coexisted with animals in their natural environments without causing significant harm. Sri Lanka, once known as the “Peradiga Dhanyagaraya” (Eastern Granary), had a thriving elephant population—estimated at around 70,000. Our ancestors successfully cultivated paddy while living alongside these majestic creatures. Elephants were even used in construction, such as building lakes and bunds, and in warfare by the ancient kings. During the colonial period, the elephant was used as the symbol of the railway department, underscoring its importance in our culture and heritage.

However, the human-elephant conflict has now reached alarming levels. Although the problem is solvable, it remains inadequately addressed. A key factor behind this escalation is the political allocation of lands—often elephant corridors—to supporters, who then block these routes with electric fences. Consequently, elephants are forced to find alternative paths through villages. Additionally, individual and organisational projects have blocked food sources, pushing elephants into human settlements in search of sustenance.

In 2020, then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa established a committee that developed a “National Action Plan for the Mitigation of Human-Elephant Conflict,” released in December of that year. This plan, implemented through the Department of Agrarian Development, proposed strategies such as enclosing villages and farmlands with electric fences while preserving elephant corridors. By 2024, approximately 300 villages were protected and around 100 elephant deaths were prevented.

Regrettably, the new Government discontinued this plan, exacerbating the crisis. Therefore, we urgently call on the Government to:

nReinstate the “National Action Plan for the Mitigation of Human-Elephant Conflict.”

nRevoke the weapons provided to farmers for killing crop-damaging animals.

nIncrease penalties for harming or killing wild animals.

nCease allocating land in elephant corridors for non-essential projects, and restore them for elephant use.

nSecure open wells in conservation forests to prevent accidental elephant deaths.

nComplete the elephant crossing in Galigamuwa, used by Sri Lanka’s largest elephant herd, including the Kavanthissa Elephant.

nSupport farmers by offering affordable electric fences or low-interest loans to install them.

nAbandon the idea of an Elephant Hospital, as it is impractical for wild animals.

nEnforce strict legal action against individuals who harm or kill elephants.

Protecting our elephants is not just about saving a species—it is about preserving a vital part of our natural heritage.

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Mitigating human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka

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