By: Isuru Parakrama
October 27, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife, Forest Resources, Water Supply, Plantation, and Community Infrastructure has announced an initiative to repurpose unused government vehicles to support wildlife offices in addressing the human-elephant conflict.
This move, proposed in a recent meeting led by Minister Vijitha Herath, aims to bolster wildlife teams on the ground with critical resources to mitigate elephant encroachment in rural areas.
A primary concern raised during discussions was the lack of proper communication facilities, notably the absence of wired telephone connections in certain regional offices of the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
To bridge this gap, the Ministry plans to collaborate with a private telecommunications company to ensure reliable communication between communities and wildlife officials, allowing quicker responses to incidents of elephant encroachment.
Further actions outlined by the Ministry include reinforcing electric fences, supplying essential equipment to areas frequently impacted by wild elephants, and deploying dedicated village security personnel to monitor and protect vulnerable zones.
Minister Herath emphasised the necessity of a sustainable, long-term strategy that addresses the root causes of human-elephant interactions, rather than relying solely on temporary measures.
Progress has already been noted in efforts to reduce such conflicts. The Department of Wildlife reported that elephant deaths have dropped by approximately 50 per cent compared to last year, alongside a 20 per cent decrease in human fatalities due to elephant attacks.
However, challenges remain, as around 90 elephants reportedly perished last year, largely due to power lines and other human-related hazards.
