Human-Elephant conflict aggravated

Priyanka KURUGALA

The human-elephant conflict has claimed the lives of 20 people and 79 elephants in the first four months of the year, Elephant Conservation Deputy Director WSK Pathiratna said.

The highest number of deaths were reported from Galgamuwa in the North Western Province while the most number of elephant deaths had been reported from the Mahaweli region, he explained. The expansion of human settlements has aggravated the human-elephant conflict, he said.

With a large human population and an ever depleting forest cover, the NWP offers less natural habitats for its shrinking elephant population. However, there are plenty of forest cover available in the Mahaweli regions causing an increase in the elephant population in those regions, he explained.

However, people encroach the forests for agricultural purposes and to build houses illegally causing the conflict, he said.

It is a tragedy that, around 230 elephants are lost to the country annually. Natural causes also had led to many elephant deaths. Reduction of forest habitations have further compounded the problem, he said.