LNP - Human-elephant conflict: Over 3,400 elephants and 1,190 people died in 9 years

It was disclosed in the Parliament today (06) that a total of 3,477 wild elephant fatalities have occurred in Sri Lanka over the past nine years. Minister of Environment Dr. Dammika Patabendi presented the figures in a report detailing the ongoing human-elephant conflict in the country. The report indicated that between 2015 and 2019, a total of 1,466 wild elephants lost their lives, while the number rose to 2,011 fatalities from 2020 to 2024. In addition, the Minister reported that the conflict has also resulted in significant loss of human lives.  A total of 1,190 human fatalities were reported due to wild elephant attacks in the last nine years. Of these, 456 fatalities occurred between 2015 and 2019, and 734 fatalities occurred in the following five years, from 2020 to 2024. Responding to a question from Member of Parliament Kins Nelson, Dr. Patabendi acknowledged the complexity of the issue and reiterated that resolving the human-elephant conflict would take time. He also highlighted the challenges faced by the Department of Wildlife Conservation in addressing the matter. The Minister further assured the public that sufficient funds would be allocated in the upcoming budget to tackle this pressing issue, which has severely affected both wild elephants and human populations. Dr. Patabendi emphasized that the resolution of this crisis would involve innovative solutions, including new research and collaboration with relevant institutions, as the government seeks to find a balance between protecting wildlife and safeguarding human lives.