'Wildlife' officials facing wild life hardships

Raja Waidyasekera Tissamaharama Special corr.

The wildlife officials in Hambantota district are facing hardships in performing their duties due to shortcomings that exist in the local offices.

Under the flora and fauna protection ordinance the Department of Wildlife Conservation has jurisdiction to protect the wildlife species in the respective areas.

Meanwhile outside the Yala and Bundala National Sanctuaries only little wildlife promotion or management input has been put into force.

Wildlife officials based in Hambantota have to cover all areas of Hambantota district from Kalametiya lagoon to the Yala Park boundary.

However the department has limited manpower and a low budget for fuel.

The vehicles are also unreliable as such regular patrolling is likely to occur. The Primary task officials in Hambantota district should be to address the human-elephant conflict and to conduct elephant drives in the jungle areas between the Yala National Sanctuary, Lunugamvehera National Park and Udawalawa National Park.