Conflict Island: Elephants in Sri Lanka

9 March, 2007

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Conflict Island: Elephants in Sri Lanka

1850 elephants killed in Sri Lanka in the past 15 years

March 9, 2007, Colombo:

Sri Lanka Wild Life Conservation Department sources revealed that over the last 15 years, 1,850 elephants, 1,192 of them, male, have been reported killed. This has reduced the country's dwindling elephant population from 4000 to 2000.

Wild Life Conservation Department points out that every year, around 150 elephants and between 50-70 human die because of man-elephant conflict. Data from Sri Lanka’s wildlife conservation department point to an increasing trend.

In 2005, seventy humans and around 200 elephants were reported killed in the conflict.