Over 370 jumbos perish in 2024

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

Sri Lanka has recorded a staggering 375 elephant deaths in the past eleven and a half months due to a plethora of causes, according to the Department of Wildlife Conservation.   

Speaking to Daily Mirror, U. L Thaufeeq, Deputy Director - Elephant Conservation said the deaths include 74 from gunshots, 53 from electrocution, 49 from ‘hakka patas’ (explosive devices hidden in food), seven from poisoning, 10 from train accidents, three from a road accident, and six by drowning.   

“The causes of other deaths are due to natural causes or causes that could not be identified. Most of the elephants that died were young,” the official said.   

Meanwhile, the human-elephant conflict has also taken a toll on people, with 149 human deaths reported this year.   

Accordingly, human-elephant conflict has resulted in 524 deaths of both elephants and humans in 2024.   

In 2023, a total of 488 elephants and 184 people have died consequent to the conflict, according to Wildlife Department statistics.   

The human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka has escalated to unprecedented levels with reasons like habitat destruction, encroachment, and the lack of sustainable coexistence measures contributing to the issue.