COLOMBO, Nov 4: In the wake of steadily rising human-elephant conflict, it is impossible to believe official figures that Sri Lanka is now home to 7,000 elephants, an expert said in remarks published on Friday. The Island newspaper quoted Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) as saying that between 2002 and 2022, there were 4,954 elephant and 1,602 human deaths due to the human-elephant conflict. He said the conflict has been intensifying after the National […]
By Rathindra Kuruwita Some Forest Conservation Department officials are more interested in building roads and structures inside protected areas than protecting forests, Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reforms (MONLAR) says. “These officials are not interested in preventing illegal activities inside protected areas or raising the awareness of those who live near […]
Maheshakya was widely agreed upon as an exemplary specimen of an elephant, with large tusks. He roamed the wildernesses of Kebithigollewa in Sri Lanka’s North Central province. Maheshakya got into a fight earlier this year with another elephant, which left him seriously wounded. Even as he lay in pain, still alive and conscious, a poacher […]