Five elephant carcasses found in forest reserves

Colombo, July 22 (Daily Mirror) - The death toll among Sri Lanka’s majestic tuskers continue to rise, exposing the deep and ongoing failure of authorities to protect one of the nation’s most iconic species.

Just days after the loss of the beloved elephant Bhathiya, another tusker believed to be ‘Suman’, along with four more elephant carcasses and skeletal remains, have been found in the Galgamuwa area - giving a stark reminder of the violent and worsening human-elephant conflict.

Despite promises from different governments, no real or lasting solutions have been put in place. As a result, these majestic creatures are dying at an alarming rate.

According to a senior official from the Wildlife Conservation Department, the tusker believed to be ‘Suman’ was found shot dead in the Meegalewa area of Galgamuwa yesterday. The majestic animal was widely known in the region and had been a familiar presence in the wilderness for years.

In a separate incident, three more elephant carcasses and skeletal remains were found in the Digampathaha forest reserve. Area correspondents reported that locals had initially alerted them to the presence of six elephant carcasses. However, only three were confirmed during a visit by media teams.

Residents claim the elephants appeared to have died on the same day, raising suspicions of a coordinated or mass poisoning incident, though officials have yet to confirm the cause of death pending further investigation.

Meanwhile, in the eastern town of Pottuvil, another wild elephant believed to be around 20-years-old was found dead after being electrocuted by an illegal electric fence. The elephant had reportedly been roaming in the Kanagarayam area before becoming entangled in a live wire set up by a farmer to protect his paddy fields. The male elephant had died instantly.

Additional reporting - Wasantha Chandrapala and Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa