Elephant topples safari jeep in Yala National Park

1 April 2025 02:26 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 13 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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Colombo, April 1 (Daily Mirror) - An elephant was seen toppling a safari jeep in Yala National Park while tourists were inside the vehicle.

Warden of the park, Manoj Vidyaratne, told the Daily Mirror that the incident occurred two weeks ago on the Katagamuwa road within the park.

"The elephant that toppled the safari jeep was not one of the usual elephants encountered by safari vehicles. It was a new, solitary elephant that had emerged from the forest reserve. This elephant has a habit of sneaking up to jeeps and using its trunk to search for food. It had done this with several other safari jeeps before. No injuries were reported, but the jeeps sustained damage," Vidyaratne said.

Meanwhile, Yala Safari Jeep Owners' Association President, Ajith Priyantha, said that such encounters with wild elephants are common.

"Most wild elephants are not familiar with the fruits we eat, so they usually do not consume the food given by people. Fortunately, these elephants rarely exhibit violent behaviour," Priyantha added.

Comments - 13

Srinath Tuesday, 01 April 2025 04:13 PM

Well he did not have to try hard to topple

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මෝඩ කැලුම් Tuesday, 01 April 2025 05:32 PM

Sandeepa was furious as the driver and tourists visited him without Elephant House ice cream.

27 82

Sarpa Jana Balawegaya Friday, 11 April 2025 02:47 AM

Pacha Kumara might blame Daisy aachi.

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L Jayasingha Tuesday, 01 April 2025 05:16 PM

This is a good lesson. I too went to a National park in a safari vehicle and he was very careless and uncaring about animals and the park. To make big money and impress the tourists some drivers take undu7e risks and also damage the park environments by racing and cutting through the bushes. I was sick of his action. We should educate and discipline the safari drivers and have control over their behavour.

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Peter Perera Tuesday, 01 April 2025 05:27 PM

Probably this is done by the previous government as usual.!! Maybe the Rajapaksas or rw sent this wild elephant !!!

63 6

O Tuesday, 01 April 2025 06:23 PM

Sure tourist would have enjoyed...

27 57

Crazy8 Tuesday, 01 April 2025 09:21 PM

They should be charged extra for this exclusive service. Getting toppled by an elephant and living to tell the story can be marketed.

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Ram P Wednesday, 02 April 2025 03:33 AM

Is this is some indication that RW is capable of toppling the government?

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vdot Wednesday, 02 April 2025 06:21 AM

what has truly happened to the plant based food seekers who were so skilled at finding their own food ?Capturing them and feeding them was also a task that the ancients knew making them tear the palm fronds and not giving up their skills of making their own meal ..Now these money makers lure them with hand held food just for some thrill of the moment ..and the tourists buy it all ..the dignity of our elephants lost somewhere

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DOT Wednesday, 02 April 2025 08:40 AM

Enough is enough !

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Aru Wednesday, 02 April 2025 11:34 AM

This is elephant country not human territory. Therefore, humans should learn to respect animals and not disturb them. I do not understand why the parks cannot have there own jeep service with trackers. This could also provide the youth of the area with jobs and also inculcate in them the need to protect these vulnerable animals.

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Lyn sarg Thursday, 03 April 2025 06:40 AM

Hooray the elephant is fighting back we are just too fond of taking over their territory for money go elephant go

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dave Thursday, 03 April 2025 04:14 PM

I've recently just come back from Sri Lanka, when we went to visit yala we were strictly told not to feed the animals. As the video showed people feeding the elephant and when the driver decided to drive off slowly it's long trunk was still in the jeep hence the reason why it was turned over. Believe you me if that elephant wanted to do damage by god it would have done. Lesson learned from this do not feed the animals. We had very close encounters with elephants at yala and nothing happened to us, great viewings mommy came over to our jeep to show off her baby. However there was a very large trunked tusked elephant that was making its way over to our jeep and our driver and ranger told the other jeeps to move he eventually walked behind our jeep to another field with the herd no contact with anything happening. Don't let this video put anyone off yala it's a fascinating place just show you're respect to the animals. Have a great time as we did

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