Death of seven elephants in Habarana: AG to submit a report within two weeks

The Attorney General today gave an undertaking to submit a report within two weeks regarding the death of seven elephants reported near the Hiriwadunna reserve in Habarana in 2019.

Additional Solicitor General Parinda Ranasinghe appearing for the Attorney General made these remarks when a writ petition filed by Centre for Environmental Justice was taken up for support before Court of Appeal.

On or about 27th September 2019, the carcasses of three wild elephants were found near the Hiriwadunna reserve in Habarana and later four other carcasses were also found in the nearby areas.

Petitioner Withanage Don Hemantha Ranjith Sisira Kumara, the Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Justice had filed this petition seeking a Writ of Mandamus order directing the environmental authorities to formulate a National Policy on protection of elephants, including steps to minimize attacks on human beings.

Court Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justice Mohammed Laffar and Justice S.U.B. Karaliyadde fixed the petition for argument on October 26.

The petitioners have named Minister of Environment and Wildlife Resources, Inspector General of Police, Director General of Wild Life and Attorney General as respondents.

The petitioners are further seeking an order directing the respondents to act collectively in order to formulate a proper mechanism to protect all elephants acting under and in term of the sections of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance as well as under the Forest Ordinance.

The petitioners state that the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), also called Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus Elephas and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Sri Lankan elephants (Elephas maximus maximus), which is a subspecies of the Asian elephant is the most iconic animal in Sri Lanka and occupy an important place in the local culture and eco system.

According to the first national survey of Sri Lanka's wild elephants held in 2011, it was estimated that the elephant population is approximately 5,879 wild elephants including 122 tuskers and 1,107 calves. However, Elephant experts question the survey methodology and states that this figure is an over-exaggeration.

Petitioners further state that according to official data, 293 elephants were killed during the first nine months of last year, while 93 people were killed by wild elephants straying into villages near wildlife sanctuaries.