Protest in Lunugamvehera against proposed elephant fence

Residents from four villages in Devramvehera and Lunugamwehera staged a protest this morning (Jul 13) saying that authorities are planning to erect an elephant fence across their farmlands.

The protesters blocked the Matara - Wellawaya road at the 70th Post in Devramvehera this morning.

Our correspondent stated that the protesters dispersed after Lunugamwehera Divisional Secretary promised to find a solution.

Meanwhile, the operation launched to drive away elephants from Suriyawewa was successful.

But Walawa Left Bank Joint Farmers' Union stated that there are defects in the electric fence, which was erected to prevent the return of elephant to human habitat.

The farmers' union, President S.K. Mahinda said that the wildlife officials are responsible for the defects.

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President instructs to keep two rare elephants in Sinharaja Forest Reserve at the same place until a decision is taken after formulating a proper procedure

President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed the Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation to keep the two rare elephants in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a World Heritage site until a decision is taken after formulating a proper procedure.

The President further instructed the Secretary for the Ministry of Environment Mr. Anura Dissanayake and the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation Mr. Anura Saturusinghe if there is any need to relocate these elephants, further steps should be taken after consulting a group of experts in the regard and following a scientific study by those experts.

President Sirisena has given these instructions during a meeting held with the officials of the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, yesterday (14).

President Maithripala Sirisena further instructed the officials to take steps to conserve the animals within the lands that belong to them in order to protect the wild elephants.

The President also showed the importance of the responsibility behind protecting the Sinharaja forest which has a bio diversity valued by the entire world.

In order to prevent the harm caused by these two elephants to the people residing in the area, President Sirisena advised to complete the construction of a protective elephant fence as early as possible.

Mr.Ajith Mannapperuma who was newly appointed as the Deputy Minister of Environment started his duties in his position and President Maithripala Sirisena also joined this event.

Then the President also held this discussion with the officials of the ministries.
Deputy Minister Ajith P.Perera and other officials were also present in this discussion.


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Sri Lanka bans open garbage dumping to protect elephants

Authorities in Sri Lanka on Wednesday banned the open dumping of garbage near wildlife sanctuaries to discourage elephants from foraging for rotting food scraps and risking their lives.

As an immediate measure, the cabinet ordered that electric fences be erected around more than 50 dumps near elephant habitats to keep the roaming beasts away.

"Around 300 wild elephants are hanging around them (dumps)," the government said in a statement.

"When elephants consume bacteria-infested waste... it shortens their lifespan."

The government said local authorities would be banned from dumping solid waste in the open, and would be required to establish recycling plants and use hygienic methods of waste disposal.

The government said an unspecified number of elephants had died after ingesting polythene sheeting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2GTZutv_3M in landfill sites, adding wild herds were increasingly relying on garbage dumps for food.

Elephants are venerated in Buddhism, the majority religion in Sri Lanka, and are protected by law.

The wild elephant population in Sri Lanka is estimated at about 7,500, with another 200 domestic beasts.

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Elephants on 'hostile territory' in Sri Lanka

Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka - It is difficult to predict when the elephants will come.

As darkness falls around Sri Lanka's Udawalawe National Park, the 52 villages that speckle its borders go on alert. Thin wire fences hum with the threat of electricity.

Across the dry zone, farmers climb up into rudimentary treehouses overlooking their paddy fields. They must try to stay alert as the darkness deepens. Armed only with torches, fireworks, and their voices - loud and hoarse - they may be forced to face down giants.

Ashoka Ranjeewa, an elephant researcher, has spent many nights out here. When he first arrived in Pokunuthanna, there were few friendly faces. Bordered on two sides by the national park, and on one side by the Dahaiyagala sanctuary, this village of some 100 families has seen more than its fair share of elephant attacks. Farmers here allege the compensation they are paid is meagre and comes late. Outsiders only come to gawk, taking pictures, commiserating.

None of this stops the elephants from coming.

Killer elephants

The foragers are most often male elephants - bulls - on average weighing in at 5,000-6,000 kilogrammes, and reaching over three metres tall, these are among the largest land animals alive.

The villagers of Pokunuthanna used to believe just four to five bulls took turns invading their land. But when Ranjeewa installed some infrared night vision cameras, he raised the count to 35.

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Explosives killing hundreds of elephants, protection handicapped

A four-year-old elephant, which had suffered severe injuries after biting an explosives-packed device used to hunt wild animals for human consumption is fighting for its life.

The illegal device commonly known as —‘hakka pattas’ — a mixture of explosives with lead and ball bearings inserted into a piece of pumpkin had been placed in a location in Hambantota. It is at that site where the wounded animal had been found nearly two weeks after the incident.

The explosion had mutilated its jaw bones, teeth, and ripped off a foot long piece of trunk. The animal is being treated at the Elephant Transit Home Udawalawe.

Veterinary surgeon, Dr Malaka Abeywardena told the Sunday Times that even after three days of treatment, there had not been any improvement as of Friday.

“Due to the damage to the jaw and teeth of the elephant calf it has to take liquid food. It is malnourished and weak making anaesthetised surgery impossible.’’

Dr Abeywardena said that that the calf would have roamed near Hambantota harbour for over a week after being wounded. The animal’s mouth and the side of it’s head was infested with maggots.

“Antibiotics are given twice a day, while saline, energy boosting medicine and vitamins are given regularly,’’ he said.

Incidents of elephants being killed by using hakka patas, shooting them or poisoning them are on the rise.

Within the last five years, from 2012 to 2016 around 1,171 elephants have died out of which only 104 had died due to natural causes, according to the Wildlife Department.

The survey on the elephant population done in 2011 revealed that the number of elephants in the country around 5,800.

Statistics show that during last year alone 279 elephants were found dead and only 35 of them had died due to natural causes.

Dr Tharaka Prasad, director of wildlife health at the Wildlife Department as well as the chief veterinary surgeon, said more deaths take place because of gun shot wounds.

He said that a tusker and another elephant suffering from gunshot injuries are struggling for their lives in Kala Wewa, Anuradhapura and in Minneriya respectively.

“Elephants which are shot can only be identified when the animal shows signs of weakness or seen limping towards a pool of water. Its too late then as it is badly infected by that time,’’ he said.

Dr Prasad noted instances of elephants wounded by trap guns set up by farmers and surviving for years after the wounds heal, but the corrosion of the iron balls embedded in their flesh, kills them eventually.

He explained that some farmers kill elephants by using toxic pesticide in vegetables. Electric fences can also kill elephants in minutes or within days.

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Bee keeping to prevent elephants encroaching villages in Hambantota

Hambantota District Secretary W.H. Karunarathna says that steps have been taken to set up bee colonies along the borders of forests to minimize wild elephants encroaching to villages in the district.

He said this project could help prevent wild elephant rampage in vulnerable villages to a certain extent.

Plans are afoot to set up bee colonies in Sooriyawewa as the village is constantly attacked by wild elephants.

District Secretary said this project will be expanded to other vulnerable areas later.

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