Rs. 2.8bn spent on elephant fences amid rising conflict: Audit Report

Colombo, May 28 (Daily Mirror) - The Department of Wildlife Conservation has spent nearly Rs. 2,835.1 million on the construction and maintenance of elephant fences between 2021 and 2024, according to the 2024 audit report.

The report said the expenditure included Rs. 53.5 million for the construction of electric fences, Rs. 351.7 million for the purchase of elephant control ammunition, including rubber bullets, and Rs. 74 million for maintenance activities such as guard house construction.

By December 2024, the total length of electric fencing across the country had reached 5,620 kilometres. Despite these measures, human–elephant conflict continues to escalate, with significant losses reported over the past five years.

Data show that wild elephant deaths fluctuated, recording 388 in 2024 compared to 488 in 2023 and 327 in 2020, bringing the five-year total to 2,017. Human fatalities stood at 157 in 2024, while the cumulative figure for the five-year period reached 741. Injuries during the same period totalled 753 cases.

Property damage caused by wild elephants also showed a sharp increase, rising to 3,756 incidents in 2024 alone, contributing to a five-year total of 12,029 cases. The figures highlight the continuing challenge of mitigating human–elephant conflict despite substantial state expenditure.