Image: A single male elephant in Wasgamuwa National Park (9) s.deshapriya
Dec 11, Colombo: From January to December 01 this year, 395 elephant deaths have been reported in Sri Lanka. It is an increase of 20 elephant deaths compared to last year.
This year 127 people have also been killed due to elephant-human conflicts.
According to wildlife officials, 38 elephants have died in 2022 due to electrocution alone.
A 30-year-old wild elephant was killed on December 8th in Rotawewa area of Sigiriya Inamaluwa due to the electrocution by illegally laid electric wires.
According to a senior officer of the Sigiriya Police, the farmers pull electrical wires from their houses to the cultivated fields to protect their agricultural crops from the elephants as the electric fence in Rotawewa area was not functioning despite residents informing the Sigiriya Wildlife Office on many occasions.
The post-mortem of the dead elephant was done by the wildlife officers of Giritale and they said that they have recorded statements from the land owner and will take legal action in the future.