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Over 55 elephants illegally captured from the wild between 2008 and 2018

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/25

By Ifham Nizam

More than 55 elephants had been illegally captured from the wild between January 2008 and December 2018, but the law enforcement had failed to bring the culprits to justice, researcher T. G. Supun Lahiru Prakash of Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle said yesterday.

Prakash is part of a team that studied the illegal trade of elephants in Sri Lanka.

He said: “We collected data from case records maintained by the country’s court system, where the suspects of illegal elephant trade were prosecuted in addition to information gathered by archives and interviews with various stakeholders. We documented 55 cases where elephants were illegally traded.

This is probably an underestimate due to the high mortality rate of elephants during capture operations and challenges in collecting data on this highly organised illicit trade.”

Out of these, 33 elephants had been registered, while 17 were not registered, he said. Prakash said three were under government letters of patent, and no information was available of two elephants.

“We found records of 55 cases of suspected smuggled elephants. Forty-six of those elephants had an identity reported with a name. Twenty-four elephants were females and 23 were males, while the sex of eight elephants was not reported. Two elephants were identified as calves, 14 as juveniles (2 – 5 years old), 29 as sub-adults (6 – 10 years old), four as adults and six were not aged.”

They had identified a major gap between the reported age in the registration documents and the estimated age of elephants by the veterinarians of the Department of Wildlife, Prakash said. The average reported age in the registration documents of elephants according to their licenses was higher than the estimated age by the veterinarians; the difference was statistically significant, he said.

“Significantly, more elephants were found to be seized in 2014–2015 than in other time periods combined. We found evidence of the illegal capture of wild elephants from wildlife protected areas and state forests. More importantly, we identified evidence of corruption of wildlife officers, involvement of politicians and other high-ranking personnel in the illegal wildlife trade, and lack of active enforcement of wildlife law as major challenges to overcome the illegal capture and domestic trade in wild elephants in Sri Lanka.”

The research team comprised W.A.A.D. Upul Indrajith, A. M. C. P. Attanayaka (Department of Wildlife Conservation, Jayanthipura Road, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka), Suranjan Karunarathna (Nature Explorations and Education Team), Madhava Boteju (Biodiversity Conservation Society), Vincent Nijman (Department of Social Sciences, Gipsy Lane, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK) and Sujan Henkanaththegedara (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Longwood University, Farmville, Virginia, USA).

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/27

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 26 April 2026, valid for 27 April 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry
of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

News

Opposition asks for PSC to probe Treasury theft

Published

8 hours ago

2026/04/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sajith

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the illegal diversion of Treasury funds, amounting to US$2.5 million to a third-party account.

Premadasa has said both the chairmanship and a majority of the Committee’s membership should be held by the Opposition to ensure impartiality.

The government has not only failed to account for the loss of US$2.5 million but also deliberately withheld information from Parliament, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) and the public, Premadasa has told the media, accusing the ruling party of seeking to deflect responsibility by initiating an internal departmental inquiry, which he describes as a biased process designed to justify predetermined conclusions.

The Opposition Leader has said only a transparent and independent probe could establish the facts, adding that such an investigation could be effectively carried out through a Parliamentary Select Committee led by the Opposition.

He has also warned that the alleged failure to inform Parliament about the missing funds amounted to a serious breach of accountability.

News

Hanthana land plots given to 44 disaster-hit families

Published

8 hours ago

2026/04/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

One of the beneficiaries receiving an instrument from Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation, KD Lalkantha, at the event.

A land distribution programme benefiting families displaced by disaster in the Kandy District was held on April 24 at the Kandy District Secretariat, with 44 affected households receiving plots in the Hanthana area.

The initiative targeted residents of the Gangawata Korale Divisional Secretariat division whose homes were completely destroyed in a recent disaster, leaving them without permanent shelter.

The event was presided over by Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation K. D. Lalkantha, who said arrangements had been made to provide each beneficiary with Rs. 5 million in instalments through the Pathahewaheta Divisional Secretariat to support the construction of new homes.

He noted that the land parcels had been identified from an estate in the Hanthana area and subsequently subdivided into demarcated plots for distribution among the recipients.

Members of Parliament representing the Kandy District from the NPP, along with Kandy District Secretary Indika Udawatta and Gangawata Korale Divisional Secretary Amila Navaratne, were among those present. Government officials and beneficiaries also attended the event.

The programme forms part of ongoing efforts to provide permanent housing solutions and restore livelihoods for families affected by natural disasters in the region.

Text and Pic by SK Samaranayake