Legal action against those who feed wild elephants

By Sumanasiri Gunatillake

The Department of Wild Life has requested drivers and passengers of vehicles which travel via the Buttala-Sella Kataragama road which cuts across the Yala National Park to refrain from feeding wild elephants known to frequent the road sides.

As per a DWC officer from the Galge Range K. Janaka Shantha Kumara strict legal action would be implemented against persons failing  to comply with regulations issued by wildlife officers to refrain from dumping garbage on the roadside.   

The Buttala –Sella Kataragama road which runs through Zone numbers (iii), (iv) and (v) of the Yala National Park is currently a restricted area. However vehicles are permitted to pass through these zones. It has been noticed that road users are in the habit of feeding wild elephants who are seen frequenting the area resulting in the animals getting used to be fed by humans in vehicles. It is now a common occurrence where Elephants have begun obstructing the passage of vehicles in their quest for food
Shopping bags being ingested by the wild elephants has also been observed which poses a threat to the elephants.   

Due to this situation, steps have been taken to take legal action against violators of this rule and it has been prohibited to feed the elephants and put garbage on both sides of the road. Notice boards have been fixed on both sides of the road for increasing awareness among road users as per instructions issued by the Wildlife Conservation Deputy Director W.A.P.U. Indrajith.