It was a double tragedy – the bullets not only killed the cow-elephant but also the unborn baby she was carrying at Demaliya, close to the northern boundary of the Lunugamvehera National Park last Wednesday.

Gunned down by a home-made shot-gun, within an area cleared for chena cultivations, when officials of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) rushed to the area on information received from the villagers , the cow elephant with severe gunshot injuries to the head was already dead, the Sunday Times learns.

The cow elephant was about 25 years old and the foetus about 21 months old, said DWC's Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Vijitha Perera who performed the post-mortem. When contacted by the Sunday Times, Dr. Perera who covers the Southern and Sabaragamuwa Regions said that if the mother was not killed the baby elephant would have been born in about a month. This was the third baby of the cow-elephant, he added.

Anguished conservationists were strident in their calls for the urgent mitigation of the human-elephant conflict.

As reported, about 200 elephants have died during this year both due to natural causes and as a result of the human-elephant conflict.

As reported, about 200 elephants have died during this year both due to natural causes and as a result of the human-elephant conflict.

Forty eight persons have become victims of the human-elephant conflict during the year. The Director General observed that compared to previous years there is a decline of the number of human lives claimed by the human-elephant conflict.

Alleged Baby Jumbo Captors Give The Slip

In another sinister tale, the Sunday Times learns that the DWC has in its custody at its Anuradhapura Office a baby elephant which had allegedly been illegally captured for domestication by still unidentified people who on hearing that the DWC was on their trail abandoned it close to Asirigama in the Palugaswewa area.

When DWC officials set up a cordon, on hearing of the attempt to smuggle the baby elephant from the Asirigama area, the culprits had tied the baby to a tree in the scrub jungle leaving a few water melons by its side, before making good their escape, it is understood.

They may have been planning to come back when the heat was off, a DWC source said, adding that the baby is a female of about one and a half years. It may have been illegally captured by either killing the mother or when it fell into a waterhole in the jungle.

Many conservationists were of the view that the Asirigama area is notorious for alleged attempts to illegally capture baby elephants. The modus operandi seems to be to capture babies and then introduce them as having been born to captive cow-elephants, they said.

Work on four elephant conservation sites planned in selected areas to control the human-elephant conflict would be completed within the next year, Wildlife Conservation Department director general H D Ratnayake told the Daily News yesterday.

He said that the centre in Veheragala has been completed, while the construction of the three other centres in Horowpathana, Maduru Oya and Galgamuwa will be completed within the next year using the budgetary allocation of Rs 100 million.

He said that each of these conservation centres has an area of about 1,500 to 2,000 hectares. All land utilized to set up these centres belong to the Department. Ratnayake said that aggressive wild elephants which often cause damage to village property, affecting the ordinary lives of the people would be relocated in these conservation centres.

He said that ample food and water would be available to the wild elephants in these centres with electrified fences erected around the sanctuaries to prevent these animals encroaching into villages.

As reported, about 200 elephants have died during this year both due to natural causes and as a result of the human-elephant conflict.

As reported, about 200 elephants have died during this year both due to natural causes and as a result of the human-elephant conflict.

Forty eight persons have become victims of the human-elephant conflict during the year. The Director General observed that compared to previous years there is a decline of the number of human lives claimed by the human-elephant conflict.

Colombo, Dec 28 (PTI) In the continuing battle for habitat in Sri Lanka, more elephants have died this year, officials said.

The number of elephants killed this year is above last year's figure of 228, while 46 people have been killed by wild elephants, which is way less than the last year"s toll of 81.

Most of them fell victim to farmers whose crops had been attacked by marauding jumbos.

"Awareness programmes helped drastically reduce the number of people getting killed by wild elephants, but our estimate is that the number of wild elephants killed this year will exceed last year's toll of 228," WG Pathirana, the deputy director of wildlife said.

He said efforts to re-locate aggressive wild elephants and erecting electric fencing to prevent them entering human habitat have yielded little results.

Elephant drives ended with the animals returning to their original habitat and escalating clashes with villages.

"We will start work from next year to have better fencing to ensure that wild animals do not stray into nearby villages,"Pathirana said.

The first ever elephant census held in August this year estimated country's wild elephant population at 7,379.

Most of them live within designated wildlife sanctuaries, but about 1,500 are believed to be in forests near human settlements.

By Malaka Rodrigo
Sunday Times
December 18, 2011

Feeding wild elephants and enticing them with homemade bites or fast-food leftovers is encouraging a bad and potentially lethal habit – potentially lethal to the humans who tempt the wild animals, who might the next moment turn on them, and lethal to the animal who will probably have to be put down if it took a human life.

This is the life-and-death situation found along the Thanamalwila Road, bordering the Udawalawe National Park, in the south-east. A few years back, a single jumbo would be seen standing by the electric fence of the Udawalawe park, looking up and down the road for travellers who might stop to give it food. After a while, the jumbo, a familiar sight at the fence, acquired a name, Rambo, and became a great attraction. Rambo was later joined by another elephant that was named Ramba. News was spreading along the jungle grapevine that treats were available at the fence. These days, you will see not one or two elephants but up to 20 or more male jumbos on the inside of the fence, waiting for treats from their two-legged pals.

Some 10 years ago, when the Uda Walawe fence was put up, it was seen as a "model" ecological boundary cum barrier, neatly marking out wildlife from human space. By and large, the fence has been well maintained and manned over the years.

South Asian cultures see the feeding of animals, wild or tame, as meritorious. According to folklore, the first handful from your plate of rice should be put on a leaf or a rock and left out for an animal to eat. The "balu/kaputu dhaane" – food offerings for dogs and crows – are a common feature with many local households.

The Thanamanwila road is an important route for tourists and pilgrims heading to the south-east. Not everyone who stops to feed the elephants means well. Some tease the animals by showing food and withdrawing the treat. Such behaviour is provocative and only invites attack.

The fence used to be electrified only at night. Last year, the park management decided to switch on the fence during the day as well to discourage jumbo-human interaction. However, the fence requires regular maintenance and repair, which means the electricity has to be switched off. Villagers also trip the wires in the fence so then can send cattle into the national park to graze. As a result, the electric fence is often not functional during the day. Elephants are smart, and it is only matter of time before they will sense that the fence is "powerless" much of the time during the day.

During a recent visit to Uda Walawe, the Sunday Times observed 12 elephants standing at different spots alongside the fence, waiting for food. We stopped our vehicle where there were three elephants gathered. A boy came up to us to sell sugarcane to feed the elephants. On the other side of the road were wayside stalls selling "Elephant Treats" – bananas, melons, wood-apple and sugarcane. Selling jumbo treats to travellers has become an income earner for many residents in these parts. "It is okay to feed the elephants," said the lad, when we pointed to the "No Feeding Elephants" signs along the road. Further up the road, a woman was throwing sugarcane at an elephant. She was the owner of a fruit stall and was trying to stall the elephant to help her to do business.

The woman admitted feeding elephants was prohibited and that she and other vendors had been warned by wildlife officers. "This is now our livelihood," she said. Driving further on, we discovered a string of wayside boutiques lining the road to Thanamalwila and beyond. These were selling produce, including fruit, vegetables, grain and pots of curd, to the steady stream of pilgrims going towards the sacred precints of Kataragama. We also discovered that the vendors dealing in elephant snacks were selling the pilgrim vendors' rejects – bruised melons and overripe bananas.

"In the past few months the Uda Walawe fence has been frequently breached," wildlife biologist Manori Gunawardena told us. She said she was driving along the road one morning, around 7 am, when she saw a wild elephant walking along the main road. "Hearing my car, the elephant ambled up to the fence, kicked over a post, and walked back into the national park," she said. From the number of posts that have had to be replaced in recent weeks, it is clear that some elephants have learned to break through the fence, and are making a habit of doing so.

The problem of elephants coming up to the fence has led to staff of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) actively chasing the animals away. In one area, the electric fence has had to be reinforced with a double fence put up a few hundred metres inside. The double fencing, which creates a buffer zone between the road and the elephants, seems to work. But wildlife observers say the aroma of sugarcane, bananas and ripening paddy will continue to lure the elephants.

Udawalawe Park Warden D. M. Weerasinghe confirmed that elephants were regularly breaking down the fence. "They have developed a taste for sugarcane and other food, and are starting to infiltrate farms and cultivated land around the park. Recently an Udawalawe elephant was killed when it fell into a well after a night-time raid," he said, adding that there were wildlife officers on night duty as well.

Mr. Weerasinghe said there were plans to put up a second fence inside the park to stop elephants from reaching the outer fence, running along the main road. This second fence will be 16 kilometres long and 20 metres from the main fence.

Driving back along the Thanamalwila road, we stopped where a group of foreign tourists had parked their Jeep. "Nowhere in the world do you get a chance to hand-feed a wild jumbo," said one visitor who was holding out bananas to an elephant.

By Malaka Rodrigo
Sunday Times
29th November 2011

The “hot” news in the wildlife circuit last week was that a female tusker had been spotted in the Yala National Park. Only male Asian elephants have tusks, and only a small percentage of male Asian elephants have tusks. So the reported sighting of a “female elephant with tusks” has naturally caused a stir, sparking debate among wildlife experts and even prompting search parties to go in pursuit of the unlikely creature. The idea of a young “female tusker” becomes especially intriguing among those who want to believe it exists.

Dr. Vijitha Perera, Wildlife Veterinarian Surgeon for the Southern Region, told the Sunday Times that field officers at Yala claimed to have seen what they assumed to be a “female” tusker, which showed no visible sign of male genitalia when it was passing urine.

According to Dr. Perera, it can be difficult to tell the sex of a young elephant that has not fully sexually matured. The tusker in question is believed to be about six years. In fact, this very difficulty makes it a challenge to determine the male:female ratio of the elephant population in a wildlife census.

Elephant tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth. Some male elephants and female elephants can have what are known as “tushes”, which is a small short tusk with no pulp inside. Tusks remain short, and are easily identified. Both sexes of the African elephants can have tusks, while only a minority of male of Asian elephants bears tusks.

Wildlife Department Director H. D. Ratnayake told the Sunday Times that a team headed by veteran elephant researcher, Professor Charles Santhiapillai, is to visit the game reserve to have a look at the elephant in question.

By Wijitha Nakkawita
The Nation
20th November 2011

The recent rampage of the one eye blinded majestic tusker Galgamuwa Dala Poottuwa wreaking havoc in its attack on scores of vehicles on Dambulla road evokes another vital question on why cruelty of man on animals cannot be stopped.
As of a fortnight back it was reported that the ailing tusker that strayed away from his habitat, Galgamuwa is slowly moving back from the Kalaoya locality towards his former home ground after being attacked by another tusker living in the wild.

A beautiful giant
The Galgamuwa tusker, one of the most beautiful seen in recent times had received several gunshot injuries and some of them are in a bad festering state leading to gangrene developing in the body, our Dambulla correspondent Kumara Beligahagedara reported two weeks ago. This ailing tusker has suffered with its injuries over considerable period of time and was angered when another elephant who escorts the one eyed tusker was shot at by the villagers.
There is little doubt that the so-called human-elephant conflict emerged with the hastily drawn up Mahaveli River Diversion Scheme that began in the 1980s by the hindsight rich J.R.Jayewardene UNP government that boasted that the original 30 year river scheme would be completed in just four years and the hydroelectricity produced by the so-called five great reservoirs – Pancha Maha Jalasha (Five Great Reservoirs) – would be able to supply electricity to neighbouring South India. In a matter of two decades these reservoirs were to become Pacha Maha Jalasha (reservoirs of major untruth) that could not even meet the power demands of the national grid.

Chased from normal habitat
That apart, it is no secret that former forest cover along the Mahaveli River and other expanses earmarked for settling farmer families were cleared more as a measure of enriching certain pro-UNP mudalalis. The authorities while completely throwing to the winds any qualms on the destruction of the forest cover and billions of the denizens of the forests endangered the very existence of the major forest denizen the pachyderm, the pride of this country and the unique herbivorous creature who was harmless to the people for over many thousands of years.
That government also boasted the elephants that had lost their habitat would be “resettled” in other forests and this writer witnessed one such exercise at Handapanagala when elephants of that region that had gone under the Mahaveli diversion scheme were chased to other forest areas by Wild Life Department employees. But in the end most of the elephants as nature dictates returned to their normal habitat as it is well known elephants have their trails that natural instincts make them frequent.

Loved by villagers
In this so-called human-elephant conflict it is the animal that takes the brunt of beating and deaths, though of course the enraged animal attacks humans and kills them. When such a large animal that has to consume hundreds of kilograms of herbal food finds that food is scarce it forages into the croplands of villagers. The bitter truth is we have foraged into its habitat and food resources threatening its existence.
Of course, Wildlife Department Vets Taraka Prasad and Vijitha Perera in the Kala Wewa forest reserve are doing a great job in their attempt to save the life of this beautiful but now helpless tusker who had found refuge in its hour of sheer agony in that forest reserve. It is being fed on special food like pumpkins and fruits and these two vets were trying the impossible while the leaders who planned and executed the messed up Mahaveli Diversion are gone.
The latest report from the region said the villagers of Galgamuwa were preparing milk rice and other delicacies to feed Dala Poottuwa tusker who was loved by them before things became too hot for that lovely animal.

It has been reported that nearly ten vehicles were damaged due  to an wild elephant attack on  Kakirawa  Dambulla road The authorities concerned have rushed to the scene and the situation was brought under controlled by now.

There were no  casualties  or deaths reported from wild elephant attack.

By Disna MUDALIGE
Daily News
Saturday, 16 July, 2011

Arrangements are in place for the first islandwide elephant census to be conducted from August 11 to 13, a spokesperson from the Wildlife Conservation Department (WCD) told the Daily News yesterday.

She said that 15 national parks will be closed for day visitors during these three days to facilitate the census. Accordingly Yala, Udawalawa, Bundala, Kaudulla, Minneriya, Wasgamuwa, Maduruoya, Angammedilla, Jalagelummilla, Somawathiya, Lunugamvehera, Wilpattu, Kumana, Galoya and Lahugala national parks will be closed as the officers and other staff are due to take part in the census. However, visitors who have already booked bungalows will be allowed to enter the parks.

The spokesperson added that a team of experts from the Indian Wildlife Institute will arrive in the country during the first week of August to help and consult in carrying out the census.

The WCD officials, military personnel, volunteers from NGOs and villagers will also participate in the elephant count. The census will be based on water holes, reservoirs and tanks.

The spokesperson said that not only an elephant count but also elephant pathways, health and injuries of elephants will also be observed during the census. She said that this will be a good opportunity to identify the juvenile, sub-adult, adult and tusker elephant population in the island separately. She noted that the data gathered through this census will be effectively used to develop an elephant conservation management plan to suit Sri Lanka.

It is believed that the elephant population in Sri Lanka may range from 5,000 to 6,000. She said that the number of calves and sub-adults is comparatively high among Sri Lankan elephants.

"Therefore, we can assume that the elephant population in the country was growing gradually. However, it is observed that calves were often the victims of the locally made explosive device Hakka patas, train accidents and natural diseases," she explained.

We love and adore our elephants at the zoo and the elephant orphanage and are proud of them when we see the Dalada Perehara. Yet, the number of elephant deaths in the country only shows us that a proper ... Read More

By Lasantha Niroshan Perera

Wildlife Conservation Officers confirmed that a herd of 19 elephants was seen roaming around the jungles surrounding the Sri Pada sacred area and they had photographed one of the elephants near Dharmaraja rock on en-route to Sri Pada.

Officials said they saw five elephants frequent­ing the Sri Pada route and that they are well grown jumbos. They said two herds of elephants live in the wet zone and one is in the Sri Pada range. The park office of the depart­ment that carried out    a survey   on elephants in the Sri  Pada  area enumerated   19 well grown ele­phants.

The park superintendent said the Sri Pada forest reserve which is rich in water re­sources and fodder and its cold climate provided the herd a natural habi­tat to roam about and breed freely. He stressed that pil­grims would not face any danger as the ele­phants move deep into theforest and keep away from the busy Sri Pada route during the pil-grimmage season.