SRI LANKA – Three wild elephants, including two adults and one juvenile, have been found dead in a protected zone, marking a severe setback for conservation efforts in Sri Lanka. The incident has raised serious concern among environmentalists, who say the country’s already vulnerable elephant population is facing an escalating crisis.
Wildlife officials stated that the deaths occurred in a corridor designated for safe elephant passage. While the cause has not been publicly confirmed, conservationists have pointed to ongoing threats such as electric fencing, land encroachment, and rising human-elephant conflict as likely factors.
Sri Lanka is home to an estimated 7,000 wild elephants, a number that has been steadily declining due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and retaliatory attacks by villagers. Over the past decade, thousands of elephants have been killed—many from direct confrontations with humans or by man-made hazards such as railway accidents and explosive traps.
Authorities say new measures are being considered to protect both wildlife and rural communities. These include rerouting night-time train schedules, expanding the use of motion sensors near known crossing points, and building additional barriers around farmland. However, experts warn that unless rapid and coordinated action is taken, Sri Lanka could lose a substantial portion of its elephant population within the coming decades.
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