Environment Ministry halts unapproved elephant-driving operation in Hambantota and Anuradhapura

The Environment Ministry has ordered the immediate suspension of an ongoing operation to drive wild elephants from villages back into forest reserves in Hambantota and Anuradhapura, stating that no official approval had been granted for the campaign.  

A senior spokesperson from the Ministry told the Daily Mirror that officials only became aware of the operation after it was reported in the media. Following this, the Ministry instructed wildlife officers to halt all related activities immediately.  

The spokesperson highlighted that carrying out such operations while the government’s National Plan for the Management of Human-Elephant Conflict is underway is inappropriate and unscientific, noting that “driving large numbers of elephants into reserves is not a sustainable or scientifically supported solution.”  

Under the National Plan, measures are already being implemented to create feeding zones for wild elephants in the Thabbowa and Kala Wewa reserves and to clear invasive plants affecting about 70 acres of grasslands in several districts, including Puttalam.  

The government has also approved the recruitment of 600 new wildlife officers, along with the purchase of 100 cabs and 180 motorcycles to strengthen elephant fences and monitoring efforts.  

According to officials, around 60 percent of Sri Lanka’s wild elephants currently live outside designated reserves, drawn to rural areas in search of food. The National Plan aims to reduce such encounters by improving food availability within reserves and reinforcing elephant corridors and fences.  

Despite these efforts, an unapproved operation involving approximately 2,000 personnel including wildlife officers, Air Force, Police, and Civil Defence Force members was launched on November 2 to drive elephants away from affected villages.