400 wild elephants dead this year

• About 200 due to Human Elephant conflict: Wild Life Department  

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  
The wildlife department has reported that a total of 400 wild elephants have died this year. They said nearly 200 of the wild elephant deaths were a result of conflicts between elephants and humans. Many wild elephants have died in shootings and road accidents.  Meanwhile, wild elephants are also reported to have died due to various diseases.   

The department said that there are about 6,000 elephants in the country.  
Due to the loss of habitat due to human activities, there has been an increase in elephant attacks, the department said.

Another jumbo dead as train rams into elephant

• The 40-year-old animal was returning from the Minneriya Reservoir to the forest along the railway line
• The elephant’s tusks had already been damaged by an unidentified group

A wild elephant was killed after being struck by a fuel transport train near the Minneriya Railway Station early yesterday morning.   
The 40-year-old animal was returning from the Minneriya Reservoir to the forest along the railway line, when tragedy struck. The elephant’s tusks had already been damaged by an unidentified group.