Wild elephants threaten indigenous community: Vedda Chief’s house damaged

By Ranjith Karunaweera   

Vedda Chief Wanaspathi Uruwarigelage Vannila Ettho’s house had been damaged by a wild elephant on Thursday night.   

Vannila Ettho said the marauding jumbo stormed violently towards the house and pulled down the mud walls.   

The people of his clan rushed to the scene, removed the debris from the house and commenced repairs.   

Vannila Ettho pointed out that the human-elephant conflict was a serious issue affecting several parts of the country. He stressed that steps should be taken to resolve it permanently without leaving the people to the mercy of wild elephants. “The threat of wild elephants has been escalating in Dambana and the surrounding villages. It is a waste of money to issue elephant crackers. The marauding herds are not scared of elephant crackers now. They are used to it,” he further said.   

Wildlife Beat officers in Dambana and the Grama Niladhari visited the scene.