Conspiracy to confine the two Sinharaja elephants

Due to the failed attempts to move the two wild elephants from the Sinharaja forest, the Wildlife Ministry is now making plans to confine the two elephants to an enclosed area within the same forest through Cabinet paper 18/1455/844/001, according to the Environment and nature protection centre.

Despite all environmental factors being available within the Sinharaja forest system, they are attempting to build the elephant detention centre in an area of 36 hectares, the centre said.

This is being built in the Parugala area in the Dispin Estate on land belonging to the State Plantations Corporation which is currently leased to the Hapugastenna Estate Company.

The residents and environmentalists warn that this environment is not suitable for these two elephants as it contains deep holes which are dangerous for them.

They pointed out that animals were also being hunted within this reserve and the latest killing of an elk is ample proof.

However, in 1940 there were around 18 wild elephants in the Sinharaja Forest and today only two remain. Since 1998 the forest has been gradually cleared and humans have been encroaching on forest lands paving the way for human animal conflicts. As a result of these confrontations, so far 15 persons have been killed by wild elephants.

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