Villagers to the fore to rescue trapped jumbos

Mohammed Naalir

SIGIRIYA: Wildlife officers and villagers are working round the clock to rescue two wild elephants who had fallen into a cultivation well near Indugaswewa in Sigiriya on Monday night.

Roaming wild elephants dealing destruction to cultivations in their path occasionally fall into abandoned wells and ditches especially in areas where the human elephant conflict is present. On these occasions, villagers band themselves together and try to rescue the beasts deploying various props and other means.

The wells being too deep it is difficult for the elephants once fallen to come out of them without assistance.

An officer attached to Polannaruwa Wildlife Department said the wildlife officers of Minneriya Division have sought assistance of the Sigiriya police to get the elephants out of the wells.

The villagers too are helping in the rescue mission.