Advising the tourists about wild jumbo attacks

The recent unfortunate incidents of  tourists being attacked by wild elephants, have gripped the attention of the media. 

It is sad that this spectacular creature that draws much attraction has ironically being perceived as an element of danger and not as an elephant of admiration. The rather unfortunate sequence of events where a Russian female tourist who tried to take a photo of a wild elephant in the Buttala area was attacked by the elephant and sustained serious injuries. This was followed by a Hungarian national succumbing to his injuries caused by a wild elephant attack in the Sigiriya area.  Sri Lankan tourism industry is intrinsically characterised by its cultural heritage, hospitality,  scenic splendour including its fauna and flora. The majestic elephant plays a pivotal role in  cultural pageants and is spotted as a tourist attraction, where enthusiastic tourists could even view them in the Pinnawala orphanage.  But, it is quite alarming to note that the environs most frequented by elephants, and where some tourists might take a stroll to watch them in their natural habitat,  have not been properly cautioned against taking a risk of walking in such areas. 

It would be also prudent for the authorities to install some warning signs or boards cautioning the foreign tourists to avoid such places, identified as potentially frequented by wild elephants. The tourism industry is something that is boosting our country’s image and is also earning foreign revenue. We should be mindful of the safety of the tourists that visit our country, and make every endeavour to see that they have an exciting visit and take away memorable experiences of this wonderful land.

Don Peter

Dehiwela