Archives

by Florence Wickramage

"The light was just about to give way to the greyness of dusk..... but, we were enthralled by one of the most spectacular unrehearsed displays of elephant acrobatics that has perhaps been given any man to see.

"The herds of elephants who in the heat of the day had browsed in the cool of the high forests found off the left bank of the Walawe Ganga, were making for their night's feeding in the chenas off the right bank of the river....

"It was an unforgettable sight to see them, males, females and babies slide down the one side of the channel balancing on their bottoms, and slithering up the other side - the less agile being helped by the more sturdy. They crossed the road more or less in file, keeping apparently strictly to their herds. I counted that day over 80 elephants". (Seeing Ceylon by R. L. Brohier 1927). Today in this, as in other parts of the country, nature has steadily been giving way to the needs of an exploding population.

The forests have dwindled into little scattered pockets and few, if any, elephants haunt this reputed Elephant Road, which connected the East and the West Giruwa Pattus.

"In the time of which I write there were wonderful possibilities too of watching herds of elephants, on any moonlight night, sporting in the Kattakaduwa Wewa, three miles from Ranna".

Another foreign writer says"Ceylon's jungles are infected with elephants".

During the time of Sir Samuel Baker (1851), said to be famous for Elephant hunting - game being one of his favourite sports, elephants had been exported to India from Ceylon.

Yet sadly today, the largest of the terrestrial animals is gradually disappearing from the island due to the felling of large forests, formerly the favourite haunts of elephants, for purposes of cultivation of the land. A century ago, tea growing districts of Dickoya, Dimbula, Maskeliya was one huge forest where the countless elephants roamed...

And the large herds referred to in Sir Samuel Baker's books as existing around Nuwara-Eliya in the hill country are no longer to be found. In 1900, Government officials estimated the number of elephants at no more than two thousand." (Ceylon its History - Edited by Board of scholars).

Where are we today and what are we doing to conserve and protect the Elephant, our national and cultural heritage?

Workshop

Today's statistics about the elephant population as being nearly 3000 is a poor indication of the plight of the growth of the elephant population as compared to 1900's statistics as being 2000.

The crisis situation of the Human-Elephant Conflict in the Southern Region as being second to that of the North-Western Region was aptly analyzed by the Director of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) Dayananda Kariyawasam in inaugurating the workshop on October 4 in Habantota. The urgent necessity to protect what is left of the elephant population, conserve the species which is highly "threatened" while making way for development has become a national responsibility. Kariyawasam said 80% forest cover nearly two decades ago has been reduced to 3%. During the period 1992 - 2001, on an average 110 elephant deaths and 50 human deaths occur annually.

Today, 3 elephants die per week, most by gunshot injuries while natural deaths has been minimal. Most of the elephants die from injuries made with home-made weapons, which intensify their suffering.

Seventy percent of the elephant population prone to the HE conflict live outside the protected areas, which cover hectares 8 lakhs - 12% out of the total forest cover of 30.8%.

This means loss of habitats by clearing of forests for development and paddy and chena cultivations.

What can elephants do now, being deprived of their habitats, food and water? They have been forced into a man-made situation detrimental to their growth.Kariyawasam emphasised that the Human-Elephant Conflict is a national issue.

The recommendations of the first Regional Conference on the conflict convened in Anuradhapura early this year are being implemented. With the current workshop the need for a national policy for the conservation and protection of this regal animal species was reiterated.

Dr. Devaka Weerakoon speaking about the ranging patterns of elephants in the wild with special reference to the South said they now have smaller home ranges and that they do not show marked seasonal ranges or long range migrations. Some elephants use the same home range each year during the period of their observations. Female elephants range from 31 sq.km to 161 sq. km while males use home ranges from 54 sq.

km to 184 sq. km.

Observations

While in musth the male elephants' home range goes up to 308 sq.km.

The studies showed that elephants could be categorised into three sections. Those that are confined to protected areas; to unprotected areas and those confined to protected and unprotected areas.

Dr. Weerakoon said chena cultivations are preferred by elephants. Therefore they confine themselves to protected areas in the dry zone and go to other areas in the wet zone. Weerakoon suggested the erection of electric fences as being feasible around the natural habitats of elephants while enabling people to use land within, under a management plan.Speaking on the enhancing of carrying capacity of elephant habitats in South and Southeast Sri Lanka, Dr. U. K. G. K. Padmalal quoted Wildlife Director Norris (1959), "the only permanent answer would appear to be improvement of the facilities in the Reserves over large enough areas so that the animals are able to obtain their needs without having to move outside thereby laying themselves open to wanton shooting".

He said these wise words apparently had gone unheeded in the wildlife sectors while the development sector continued to open up and fragment the habitat. Padmalal continued "what we have been doing is only creating water-holes in National Parks. With instances like the Walawe Basin program and the Ruhunu Mega City, where are we sending the elephants to?".

Quite rightly he emphasised, that "in former development programmes the State and Pradeshiya Sabhas and district level, go to Landscape Boundaries, not `political boundaries'". Stressing the importance of protecting the elephant for its cultural and bio-diversity importance, Padmalal pointed out that there is no scientific model developed for the animals' conservation. Enriching elephant habitats with due consideration to herbivorous animals; the establishment of perennial water-ways, reproducing Beru Grass should top the protection agenda.

He called "do not heed political agendas or those with vested interests for commencing research; take decisions that whatever development takes place, you have to protect elephants. Research Officer Jayasinghe stressed that Elephant Conservation Landscapes should take priority in the conservation programme.

In the olden days man and elephant lived together. The overall solution to the conflict should include protection of ecological boundaries if possible by electric fences; chena cultivation to be managed on a rotative basis; using chena as base habit management with incentives for cultivators; crop protection and other income generating habits to be introduced using Yala National Park as base for Conservation Landscapes.

Two working groups studied the conflict in two segments: South of Yala: Udawalawe, Hambantota, Bundala, Lunugamvehera and North of Yala, Moneragala, Yala Complex and Sinharaja.

Elephant migrations to chenas and human settlements were a result of loss of their habitat and loss of food and water which resulted in the Human/Elephant Conflict. Elephants prefer chenas which grow food they relish, such as sugar-cane, pumpkin etc. Moreover elephants destroy settlements and chenas which lie on their usual routes and do not deviate for wanton destruction. Domesticated animals, such as cattle, entering National Parks eat up elephant fodder leaving elephants with no option but to go outside national parks in search of food.

Encroachment on buffer zones for cultivation and settlements and locating development projects running through national parks and elephant corridors add up to the overall conflict. Blocking up and re-routing waterways contributes to water scarcity and lack of salt-licks for elephants make them wander into adjoining homesteads.

Solution

The general consensus was that a national plan was necessary to solve this national problem with identification of proper legal boundaries to buffer zones, National Parks, sanctuaries, strict nature reserves, electric fences and elephant corridors with linkages where necessary. A conservation and management plan for elephants in areas earmarked for development projects should be carried out. Whilst enriching national parks, farmers should be encouraged to cultivate cash crops that elephants do not prefer in the chena boundaries.

Encouraging farmers to use elephant dung to generate bio-gas which could be used for fires on chena boundaries to ward off elephants; the use of dung refuse as fertiliser for their cultivations are other important measures. Growing of shady trees in National Parks along with trees and shrubs for food and alternate grazing grounds should be undertaken forthwith.

Rehabilitation of existing tanks, waterways and waterholes within protected areas should be undertaken. Relocation of pocketed animals to conducive areas to be implemented. Strict legal measures should be enforced to prevent illegal activities in national parks such as poaching, illicit gem-mining, growing of hashish and cannabis etc. Public awareness programmes should be carried out to educate farmers about activating fires and spread of fires in chena cultivations. In issuing fire-arms to farmers to protect their crops care should be taken not to issue SGs. Planting of endemic trees around protected areas should be encouraged and prevention of domesticated animals, such as cattle and buffaloes, entering National Parks and protected areas.

Schoolchildren and the general public to be provided with information regarding new national parks and nature reserves etc. planned. Establishment of Managed Elephant Reserves; Co-Existence Zones and Elephant Conservation Landscapes as a priority component of the overall solution.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager