Intense guard against elephant invasion

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

As dozens of elephants have gone on the rampage in several villages, the Department of Wildlife has taken steps to deploy Wildlife officers in villages under threat by elephants.

The department has sent additional teams of wildlife guards to protect Mahapaakada village, located between Victoria, Randenigala and Badulla, where two persons were killed recently by a herd of elephants that had descended from the forest.

It had also sent teams to protect villages in Galgamuwa and Eragama., said sources of the Wildlife Conservation Department.

The Wildlife officers are currently conducting night patrols in areas prone to invasion by jumbos, sources said.

According to Wildlife Department Elephant Conservation Deputy Director, W S K Pathirathna, the elephants have played havoc in villages because of the season's changes. "This is the result of elephants trying to change their places due to weather conditions. They are trying to change their habitat in the wake of the transfer of seasonal weather from dry to present wet conditions with spells of rains," he explained.

Asked what forced the elephants to kill two persons in Mahapaakada, Pathiratna said they had gone as early as 3 am or 4 am out of their houses.

This is the time the elephants usually walk back to the forest. The villagers are aware of this. The Wildlife Department had repeatedly warned the villagers to take extra precautions and not to go out of their houses during these hours, he said.

Asked if the Wildlife officers had driven the elephants out of the villages, he said it will be dangerous to drive them in a hurry as the animals could further damage the village, out of confusion.Asked if the elephant fences have been of any use in preventing the elephants from invading Mahapaakada area, Pathiratna said the fences were being built in the area.

The construction of the elephant fence will be over by the end of January, he said. "The elephants have to be driven further into the forest before the fence can be constructed. You cannot build the fence with the elephants outside it," he pointed out.

"Besides, the rains have stopped the work," he added.