Fallen Jumbo

Wednesday, 24 November 2010 13:49

A tusker, who was being transported by the Wildlife Department to be released, died after the bottom of the lorry the elephant was being transported broke and the leg of the elephant got stuck suffocating the tusker. Several attempts made to free the elephant by the officials were unsuccessful. Pix by Hiran Priyankara

Comments

-0+1 # suresh 2010-11-24 14:06

What a crime. An innocent and endangered animal dies due to the ineptness of the Wildlife Department! Shame on you people

-0+1 # Maqs 2010-11-24 15:21

SHAME, SHAME UTTER SHAME!!!

-0+0 # lankaputha 2010-11-24 17:31

Why I still can see a Metal chain across the trunk. They even didn't release it, and saying they tried to save the animal. Highly suspicious. Who will get the tusks?

-0+0 # ransam 2010-11-24 14:07

What a majestic creature. Really sad. Who is responsible? No one seems to care.

-0+1 # Chands 2010-11-24 14:12

Now this is A GOOD EXAMPLE of poor planning and animal cruelty. Whoever, who was involved in planning this must be taken to task.
Are the wild life officials doing the strength calculations qualified or has the clearance been given for the load factor by the engineers.
This type of work must stop immediately.

-0+0 # Matara Animal lover 2010-11-24 14:14

Recently there were several instances where Elephants were transported from one area to another. Apart from the cumbersome and inhumane methods used, the loss of a great creature is a disaster. The Wild Life Dept should at least be equipped with ONE specially adapted tough vehicle . This could be easily financed if the govt sacrificed few 4 x 4 vehicles for Ministers.

-0+0 # TMA 2010-11-24 14:18

Anyone can realize that the vehicle is not enough 2 transport an animal this big

-0+0 # Ravana 2010-11-24 14:21

Why are not knowledgeable people with practical experience consulted ?

What a particularly beautiful animal...what a needless waste !

-0+0 # mallie 2010-11-24 14:24

Its a good lesson to two-legged variety who transport themselves from green to blue camps and vice-versa. Their legs too can get stuck with so many people on old cabinet floor.

-0+0 # high rated 2010-11-24 14:28

Transporting an elephant is a simple operation. but its a FBI heavy task to see where the pair of tusks goes.

-0+0 # Nihal Fernando 2010-11-24 15:25

high rated,
I do agree with you 100%.

-0+0 # milinda ratnayake 2010-11-24 14:34

I guess someone wanted a pari of "TUSK" great way to obtain them cheap to.

-0+0 # nadi 2010-11-24 15:06

Sadly I agree with you.

-0+0 # Prem 2010-11-24 17:51

I agree too. Must investigate.

-0+0 # Senaka Wickramasingh 2010-11-24 17:54

Mr Prez, please investigate. This is highly suspicious. This is not the way to transport such a huge animal.

-0+0 # nadi 2010-11-24 15:45

Are you telling me those authorities have no clue how to move an elephant safely from one place to another, in the first place how did they end up working with elephants..?

-0+0 # pinnawela 2010-11-24 17:48

I hope this is not a big time hunting excercise that got revealed with such lame excusees.

-0+0 # dharmesh 2010-11-24 14:37

An Elephant shouldnt b moved back first - it panics if it is not movin head first....how did they even load the animal into the vehicle, and why was a wild elephant bein transported without being sedated? who is responsible for this?

-0+0 # Gajaba 2010-11-24 16:14

What a majestic Tusker.Very suspicious the way in which this excercise has been conducted. Who is responsible

-0+0 # high rated 2010-11-24 14:39

pair of tusks should kept in museum after public display depicting stupidity of whoever is responsible.

-0+0 # Shan 2010-11-24 14:43

Let animals be in their places, Don't become animalistic by harming the wild life

-0+0 # lalith 2010-11-24 14:48

Poor animal! Those responsible for the death of animal should be punished.

-0+0 # Dev Wijewardane 2010-11-24 14:49

this is the bloody wildlife department at its best. First they put a damn road through wilpattu and now they kill a tusker. sheer incompetence in my opinion.

-0+0 # herath 2010-11-24 14:49

Sri Lankan elephants are true Sri lankan and they must be given citizen status and thereof fair treatment.

-0+0 # Ajith 2010-11-24 14:52

Rediculous!!!!

-0+0 # shiran 2010-11-24 14:53

Shame on the officials ... such a rare majestic animal suffered and died in vain... an inquiry is a must..

-0+0 # Ram 2010-11-24 14:58

What a crime
I think the person who handle it did a big mistake, or he is not qualified to do this.

-0+0 # Said Hussein 2010-11-24 14:59

All those responsible must be penalised. A beautiful Tusker has been destroyed as a result of poor planning on the transporting method used for the Elephant.

Said Hussein

-0+0 # Pawlpakse 2010-11-24 15:06

Elephant supporters are harrased and killed. Now even elephants are killed.

-0+0 # malkanthi 2010-11-24 15:08

Very very pathetic such a majestic animal! Tuskers are transported in such poor condition vehicles? Stupid authorities! So now begins the fight on its Tusks.

-0+0 # Ruhunu Puthra 2010-11-24 15:14

A great loss. The vehicle looks awfully inadequate for the animal.

-0+0 # V.D.Jayawardene 2010-11-24 15:15

What a majestic animal.The wild Life Officials tried do do a good turn to release the animal to the jungle when this enexpected incident had occured.

-0+0 # namal 2010-11-24 15:16

another icon of sri lankan wilds has passed away. We have lost a national treasure.

-0+0 # Lokuputha 2010-11-24 15:26

Govt is not worried because it was an 'elephant' - they'll be rather happy! 'Moda minissuge - moda chinthanaval...'

-0+0 # TMA 2010-11-24 15:36

Come again...Did we hav the gr8est environment minister ever?

-0+0 # wahoo 2010-11-24 15:40

What Incompetence ! damn shame.......

-0+0 # Neil 2010-11-24 15:58

Can we give the similar treatment to the culprits too..Over to you Hon Minister for ACTION......

-0+0 # k911 2010-11-24 16:02

our country is so blessed with all the natural resources. Few people and their freak mentality breaking into pieces.

-0+0 # TMA 2010-11-25 10:27

I doubt if it's really few

-0+0 # thaminda 2010-11-24 16:08

Really sad, wonder if this was this planned to remove the tusks. Who will be held responsible for the death of this majestic tusker?

-0+0 # Pissu Poos Raja 2010-11-24 16:12

Please take action against the ignorant offices in the wild life department

-0+0 # shanthapriya 2010-11-24 16:18

MY MEMORY GOES TO THE MISERABLE INCIDENT WHERE AN EIGHT YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DIED BY FALLING IN TO THE ROAD FROM THE INSIDE OF THE PRIVATE BUS IN WHICH SHE WAS TRAVELLING, AFTER SCOOL,OWING TO THE POOR BODY CONDITION OF THE BUS., ABOUT 02 YEARS BACK.
CAN WE IMAGINE THE PAIN THEY HAD IN BOTH INCIDENTS.................
THOSE RESPONSIBLE MUST BE SEVERLY PUNISHED.

.

-0+0 # Senna 2010-11-24 16:19

It is sad , it is real incompetence of the responsible , they should be punished heavily.

-0+0 # Asa 2010-11-24 16:20

this is crime..... paw eka

-0+0 # shanthapriya 2010-11-24 16:24

IF THE VEHICLE BELONGS TO GOVT DEPT, WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WITH THE MONEY ALLOCATED TO REPAIRS & MAINTANANCE COST OF THE VEHICLE? THOSE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE MAINTANANCE OF THESES VEHCLES MUST BE SEVEARLY PUNISHED

-0+0 # shanthapriya 2010-11-24 16:26

NOT A GOOD ERA FOR ELEPHANTS IN ALL ASPECTS

-0+0 # Roshan 2010-11-24 16:29

This is murder. The people responsible should be punished for their negligence.

-0+0 # Janaka 2010-11-24 16:31

Who is responsible for this?, these shouldn’t be repeated in the future.

-0+0 # willows 2010-11-24 16:39

wild life dept. should be disbanded, the way they have treated this majestic animal, it is shame shame shame, any body going to take the responsibility I guess none????

-0+0 # Appuhami 2010-11-24 16:47

COLD BLOODED MURDER!!!

-0+0 # Justice For All 2010-11-24 17:05

The official should be charged with criminal negligance and sent to jail.

Mr. President we need your help....................otherwise we will call Mr Mervin ....

-0+0 # Jayantha 2010-11-24 17:12

What a crime.

-0+0 # Chamara 2010-11-24 17:21

This is an utter crime. A majestic yet innocent animal made to suffer and have a slow and painful death.
Shame...Shame….may the responsible for this be severely punished!

-0+0 # TMA 2010-11-24 17:26

MayB sum big shot was targetting the tusks from thr begining

-0+0 # Knight Ryder 2010-11-24 17:34

Is this how the wild life dept takes care of this innocent endangered specified which we harp so much about to lure the tourist in....so Sad !!!

-0+0 # gamini 2010-11-24 17:50

Can't we do anything right anymore ??

-0+0 # Dee 2010-11-24 18:29

Sad state of affairs. state departments have no funds for maintenance. but millions wasted on pomp and pagentry . we will see the repucussions of these careless acts very soon.

-0+0 # Menaka 2010-11-24 18:51

Really shame on you..Wild life Department! They proved once again they are incapable and inefficient in taking care of these four legged giants!

-0+0 # Hiram 2010-11-24 19:51

Shame ! Shame ! Shame ! I hope the responsible people will be brought to task.

-0+0 # Yonster 2010-11-24 21:39

Crying shame though this is, there is nothing that can be done for this fallen pachyderm. However, what do we do to save these majestic beasts in the future? The so-called guardians seem to be failing, and in this case actually contributing to their extermination. A task-force perhaps? Maybe a "professional" with experience in this type of conservation? There are actual success stories in Africa. Could we draw some lessons from them? There are individuals all over Sri Lanka who actually love wildlife and would gladly volunteer their time and effort. Let's not look back at the mistakes, but learn from them and do something constructive with the future.

-0+0 # rizan 2010-11-24 21:43

What a sad story. A beautiful creature lost his life because the neglect of our people. Using a stupid truck with old rotten wood at the bottom to transport 5 ton animal??? do these people not think?????

-0+0 # Api Walata! 2010-11-24 22:46

when the elephant was taken from the captured spot he was near the cockpit of the lorry secured by ropes.but without a platform for him to get off how has he come to the rear end of the lorry!!! to me this is very suspicious!

-0+0 # Rohana Konara 2010-11-24 23:21

This blunder done by authorities of Wildlife department. Therefore Wildlife department should get the responsibility,

-0+0 # Nanda 2010-11-25 03:47

This is the worst ever incident about the stupid action taken by the wild life Dept.The Hon President Please take action against the culprits

-0+0 # gona 2010-11-25 04:09

Terrible, those responsible should be shot

-0+0 # Muditha 2010-11-25 09:28

Shouldn't there be regulations for animal transportation? Why did they put that massive fellow on a truck that was so obviously in bad shape? Why wasn't he taken by foot? What a shame??? Such a beautifful animal that was murdered through the carelessness of the authorities... Wild life department should have better control of situations like this or we will not have any more wild life left..

-0+0 # sanju de silva 2010-11-25 12:18

the outrage is established. now can we have the explanation. why did this go wrong ? shouldn't those responsible for this disaster be brought to justice. i believe killing an elephant is a crime in this country. surely the killing of such a magnificent beast is a massive crime. Dr Prasad and and the department of wild life must answer the question. why did this happen. broken planks and suffocation sounds like sheer incompetence.

-0+0 # cheche 2010-11-25 12:30

was this tusker a domesticated one or a wild elephant???

-0+0 # Indika 2010-11-25 14:02

So, what action is going to be taken ? Any Investigation by the department or by the Ministry ?

-0+0 # lankan 2010-11-25 14:10

So the leg got stuck and that suffocated the elephant?? Last I checked elephants do not breathe through their legs! What a load of crap.

-0+0 # kk anushka 2010-11-25 23:22

Stupid wild life department can only do such a things. All the government sectors are like that. Stupid people get the handle all the departments including police.

-0+0 # Kosala 2010-11-26 14:01

What a shame on you so called experts of Wild Life Dept. and what a loss to the gene pool of Sri Lankan elephant community. This is not a loss of anly one Tusker. The chance of more tuskers generated as offsprings of this majestic animal too is lost.
What do you have to say about this so called protectors of Wild Life in Sri Lanka, How many Elephants have been killed in the process of capturing and relocation. Are you going to be more concerned towards wild life.

-0+0 # ayomid 2010-11-26 14:04

Former Minister of Environment Mr. Champika Ranawaka said that he made the Environment Ministry a profit making venture.But the wildlife department has no proper trucks for transporting elephants or animals.

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