Sri Lanka to deploy Civil Defense Force to curb man-elephant conflict

Sri Lanka Minister of Wildlife and Peasants Services S.M. Chandrasena says that 5,000 personnel of Civil Defense Force will be deployed to prevent man-elephant conflicts.

The Civil Defense Force personnel will assist the Wildlife officials to protect the elephant population as well as the crops of the farmers.

Wildlife Department says that around 190 elephants have been killed this year due to man-elephant conflict.

The Wildlife Department said killing elephants by explosives hidden in crops eaten by the animals has increased in recent times and eight elephants have been killed in the past few weeks by this practice. They included two elephant cubs of six and eight years old.

Sri Lanka has a population of 5,000-6,000 elephants, according to Wildlife Department surveys.