Environmentalists reject plans to protect elephants in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, dozens of people die each year because of elephants. And more elephants die because of humans.

The main reason is that humans increasingly invade the habitat of about 7,500 wild elephants in Sri Lanka, which sometimes destroys fields and houses.

People take revenge by shooting animals, wounding them with explosives, or installing electric fences that cause electric shock. And there are poachers who aim at the pachyderm animal fangs.

How is the problem solved? The government has been working for months to stop elephants by digging graves to prevent posterior animals from entering populated areas.

According to Soun Lahiru Frakash, a wildlife researcher and environmental activist, the depth of the tomb that has already been dug is about 5 meters.

The project recently gained more attention after images of elephants in large garbage dumps spread around the world, and it is reported that more than 20 elephants died due to plastic ingestion over the past 8 years.

At that time, the government announced that it would dig trenches around the dump.

But now the Environmental Justice Center, a local environmental organization, wants the court to stop the project.

According to the organization, graves will do more harm than good. On the one hand, they can disrupt the path of movement of wild animals, and on the other hand, elephants and other animals can fall into the ditch and die.

It will also be easier for poachers to hunt small animals in ditches. Finally, pits can affect ecosystems and groundwater layers.

Other environmental organizations are also considering action on the project.

Sri Lanka's Minister of Irrigation, Anuradha Jayaratne, recently admitted that the project was launched in a hurry without a clear assessment of its environmental impact.

Wasantha Chandrapala, a spokesman for the Department of Wildlife Resources, told dpa that he would now try to build a deeper and wider grave because the elephant had already filled the ditch.

The spokesperson is believed that the project will reduce the conflict between humans and elephants.

Living with elephants is a sensitive political issue in Sri Lanka. In this island country located in the Indian Ocean, it is mostly Buddhist, and the animal is considered the incarnation of the Buddha.

Elephants are respected and a symbol of wealth. During religious holidays, they are decorated and carry Buddha relics while parading through crowds.Killing elephants can result in the death penalty of the country.

However, on the other hand, the pachyderm animal and the damage it causes threaten the survival of the peasants.In this context, it is difficult to find a simple solution to the conflict between humans and elephants.

dpa