Sri Lanka’s latest elephant census must result in immediate policy action, not remain a paper exercise, Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) Managing Director Dilena Pathragoda warned, as nearly 400 wild elephants have already died in 2025 alone amid escalating human–elephant conflict.

With the national elephant population estimated at around 5,879, Pathragoda said the figures would be meaningless unless they shape land-use planning, habitat protection and enforcement.

“As of mid-December, close to 397 elephants have died in 2025, mostly due to shootings, electrocution, train collisions and other human-related causes,” he told The Island. “When deaths continue at this scale, census numbers alone offer little reassurance.”

Official data show that 388 elephants died in 2024, while 2023 recorded a staggering 488 deaths, one of the highest annual tolls on record. Conservationists warn that the trend reflects systemic failure to secure habitats and elephant corridors, despite repeated warnings.

“An elephant census should not end with a headline figure,” Pathragoda said. “If these statistics do not influence development approvals, infrastructure planning and land-use decisions, they fail both elephants and rural communities.”

Elephant populations remain unevenly distributed, with higher densities in the Mahaweli, Eastern and North Western regions, while other areas face sharp declines driven by habitat fragmentation and unplanned development.

Pathragoda said recurring fatalities from gunshots, illegal electric fences, improvised explosive devices along with poisonings  and rail collisions expose the limits of short-term mitigation measures, including ad hoc fencing projects.

“The crisis is not a lack of data, but a lack of political will,” he said, calling for binding conservation policy, transparent environmental assessments and accountability at the highest level.

He urged authorities to treat elephant conservation as a national governance issue, warning that failure to act would only see future censuses record further decline of these majestic animals.

“Elephants are part of Sri Lanka’s natural heritage and economy,” Pathragoda said. “Ignoring these warning signs will come at an irreversible cost.”

By Ifham Nizam ✍️

The Ministry of Education has yet to clarify whether school hours will be extended by 30 minutes from next Monday (05) under the proposed new education reforms, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin has said.

Stalin told The Island that the Ministry should reconsider the planned reforms, warning that decisions taken without adequate study and consultation could have serious repercussions for nearly four million schoolchildren.

He said the Education Ministry had announced that education reforms would be implemented in Grades from 1 to Grade 6, but it had not said anything about the Grades above 6. This lack of clarity, he said, had created confusion among teachers, parents and students.

Stalin also noted that although learning modules had been issued, students are required to obtain photocopies based on the codes introduced in these modules. However, the Ministry had not revealed who would bear the additional financial burden arising from those costs, raising further concerns over the practical implementation of the reforms.

by Chaminda Silva ✍️

The Sri Lanka Navy has lauded the critical support provided by foreign warships that were in the country for the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2025, assisting in humanitarian and disaster relief operations following the recent severe weather, the Navy said yesterday.

The IFR 2025, held off the Galle Face seas, also marked the 75th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Navy. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, representing the government of Sri Lanka, received the traditional naval salute onboard SLNS Gajabahu as the visiting warships paid their respects.

Eight foreign naval vessels had arrived in Sri Lanka by November 27 under the IFR theme “Sailing Strong – Together.” Participating ships included Bangladesh’s BNS PROTTOY, India’s aircraft carrier INS VIKRANT and INS UDAYGIRI, Iran’s IRIS NAGHDI, the Maldivian Coast Guard’s CGS HURAVEE, Malaysia’s KD TERENGGANU, Pakistan’s PNS SAIF, and Russia’s GREMYASCHCHY.

Due to the nationwide weather disaster, the visiting warships were quickly redirected to support relief operations. The Sri Lanka Navy highlighted the efforts of helicopters deployed from India’s INS VIKRANT and Pakistan’s PNS SAIF, which played a key role in search and rescue missions for affected communities.

The IFR continued as planned, allowing the visiting warships to honour Sri Lanka’s maritime traditions while reinforcing regional cooperation and partnerships needed to tackle both non-traditional maritime threats and climate-related disasters.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya also thanked diplomatic officials from the High Commissions and Embassies of Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Russia for their support in the disaster relief efforts.