228 elephants killed in human elephant conflicts in Sri Lanka last year

A total of 228 elephants have been killed in Sri Lanka in 2009 while 50 people have also been killed due to the human-elephant conflicts, a government minister pointed out.


Deputy Minister of Economic Development Ranjith Siyambalapitiya revealed these statistics in parliament yesterday in response to a question raised by the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance MP Achala Suranga Jagoda.

The Deputy Minister also said the elephant populace in the island is now about 6,000 according to the records of the Department of Wildlife.
A programme to resolve the issues of the human-elephant conflict is underway in 58 divisional secretariats in 15 districts of the island, the Deputy Minister also said. The solutions include erecting electric fences, establishing more elephant orphanages and relocating them to the jungles.