In Parliament on Friday

Of more than 2,241 elephants that died during the past 18 years, over 2000 of them died due to non-natural reasons, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka told Parliament yesterday.

Minister Ranawaka, answering a question posed by UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, said that the current elephant population is estimated at 3,500-4,000 and a gradual increase has been witnessed in the last four decades. A number of deaths occur annually due to the human-elephant conflict the reason for which is the utilization of elephant habitats for development activities.

A study had been conducted regarding the deaths of elephants and an annual survey has revealed that 2241 elephants have died from 1990 upto this year, which included natural deaths as well, Minister said. Quoting statistics, the Minister said that only 100 elephants have died of natural causes. From 1992 to 2007, 866 human lives have been lost due to human-elephant crisis.

Minister Ranawaka said that a number of programmes have been implemented to stop the high death rate. Among them are a programme named ‘Gajamithuro’ (Friends of Elephants) initiated with the involvement of all stakeholders of human-elephant conflict with the collaboration of the Ministry of Nation Building, driving the elephants that invade the villages and field officers of the Wild life Conservation Department light elephant crackers and chase the elephants into jungles to prevent them from being shot by angry villagers. In addition, chasing the lone elephants and herds back to jungles, taking steps to develop pastures and streams to cater to elephant’s food and water so that their coming out of sanctuaries in search of water could be avoided, taking steps to declare the limited elephant passes between sanctuaries and jungles and reserve forests to ensure the safety of elephants. A number of veterinary units have been established to provide medical care to injured elephants and orphaned young elephants, 120 km long electric fences have been re-constructed and further 130 km long new electric fence is planned to be constructed with the funds from the Ministry of Nation Building to control human-elephant conflict. Rs 300 million have been allocated by the budget 2009 to construct a 200 km long electric fence, elephant orphanage at Lunugamvehera has been set up and work of the Ritigala Elephant rehabilitation centre and the orphanage was expected to be completed by the end of this year, he said.

MP Jayasekara, raising a supplementary question, said: "Now it seems that special squads have set up to end the lives of ‘elephants’ in the country. Who would be the next?"

Laughter broke out and Opposition MPs shouted, ‘Elephants are killed by goons,’ ‘save the elephants from motor cycle squads’, but Chief Government Whip said: ‘Do not laugh when there are deaths. It’s immoral."

Speaker: "Minister, would you answer the question of the MP?"

Minister Ranawaka: "It is not applicable."