Successful operation to drive wild elephants back to forests in Hambantota

elephants have now been placed under the supervision of the Elephant Management and Conservation Unit

By Sanath Gamage   

Efforts to drive wild elephants back into designated wildlife zones from villages in the Hambantota District are being carried out successfully, minimising the impact on local communities, according to District Secretary Bimal Indrajith de Silva.   

He said the operation is being conducted using scientific methods to ensure that the process causes no harm to either the elephants or the residents. The initiative is being implemented with the support of officials from relevant government agencies.   

Under the ongoing Hambantota Elephant Management Operation, several wild elephants including three identified near Buruthan Kanda along the Sooriyawewa–100-feet Road have been safely herded into the forest area near the Walsapugala Elephant Exchange Zone, established alongside the Southern Expressway.   

The elephants have now been placed under the supervision of the Elephant Management and Conservation Unit, as part of continued efforts to reduce human-elephant conflict and protect both wildlife and rural livelihoods in the region.