Technology vital as human-elephant conflict turns deadly – Activist
Text and Pic by Dharmasena Welipitiya Sri Lanka’s escalating human-elephant conflict has reached a tragic stage, with more than 400 elephants and nearly 200 people dying each year, environmental activist Ananda Dissanayake said last week. Addressing a press conference at the Sri Lanka Foundation in Colombo to mark World Elephant Day, Dissanayake said the government […]
Sri Lanka's escalating conflict between humans and elephants has reached a tragic point, with over 400 elephants and nearly 200 people losing their lives each year, according to environmental activist Ananda Dissanayake. Speaking at a press conference marking World Elephant Day, Dissanayake noted that the government and authorities are implementing various strategies to address the issue, but the toll continues to rise.
This year, 180 elephants and 56 humans have reportedly died due to the conflict. Around 75 of the elephant deaths are attributed to human activity, including 30 killed by gunfire, 23 by electrocution, and 19 by explosives called hakka patas.
Dissanayake emphasized that current measures alone won't solve the problem and urged the integration of modern technology to prevent and monitor human-elephant conflict. Conventional methods are insufficient to tackle the scale and complexity of the issue, he claimed. Dr Sumith Pilapitiya, a wildlife conservation expert with over three decades of experience, stressed the importance of a coordinated effort by all stakeholders to combat the crisis.
The government has taken steps to strengthen conflict management, such as hiring Elephant Fence Assistant Officers, 5,000 Civil Defence Force personnel, and Multi-Purpose Development Officers for conservation tasks. New electric fences are being built using national budget funds, and camera systems and warning signboards are being installed along railway lines to reduce elephant-train collisions.
Additionally, the Department of Wildlife Conservation is launching a mobile hospital service for wild elephants to provide urgent medical care to injured animals.
An expert committee, comprising representatives from relevant ministries, conservation agencies, experts, and local communities, has been established to develop a comprehensive, long-term action plan. The Ministry of Environment emphasized that safeguarding Sri Lanka's biodiversity, ecosystems, tourism, national economy, and cultural heritage is crucial, and protecting elephants is pivotal to achieving this goal.
Dissanayake highlighted that the effectiveness of these measures will ultimately rely on the successful incorporation of modern technology into efforts to monitor, prevent, and address human-elephant conflict.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
