The beauty of nature and the magnificence of its creatures are often compared to the Innocence and beauty of children. Similarly, elephants are often compared to children due to their captivating nature and the way they view the world. Their actions, behaviour, and speech are a wonder to watch and can always be exciting.
The world is home to two species of elephants – the Asian elephant and the African elephant. Amongst these, several subspecies of the elephant native to the Asian region can be identified. However, elephants are facing a tough time in the public discourse.
In general, elephants are considered an endangered species, and the Asian elephant, which was once widely distributed in Asia, is now limited to only a few countries. These countries include India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, and Sri Lanka.
Various human activities in and around the habitats of Asian elephants have led to restrictions on their activities. The destruction of their habitats, hunting, and poaching have all contributed to their population decline.
For instance, the widespread deforestation to make way for agriculture, mining, and urbanisation has led to the fragmentation of elephant habitats. It is difficult for the creatures to move about and interact with each other. Additionally, elephants are sometimes killed for their ivory tusks, which are high value in the black market.
As a result, conservation efforts are underway to protect these gentle giants. This includes creating protected areas for them to live and thrive, managing their habitat to ensure food and water availability, and implementing laws to prevent poaching and hunting. By preserving the habitats of these magnificent creatures, we can guarantee that they will continue to exist in the wild for generations to come.
Classification and Caste of Elephants
Four subspecies of Asian elephants can categorised according to their living environment and climate. These subspecies are Indian, Borneo, Sumatran, and Sri Lankan. In Sri Lanka, elephants are classified into castes based on their external appearance. That is a unique practice.
There are seven special elephant castes in Sri Lanka: Mangala is the highest caste, while Kalavaka, Gangeya, and Pandara castes are considered low castes, and Pingala, Gandha, and Tambara castes are middle castes. Elephants divide into castes based on their body colour, tusk position, back position, eye colour, hump shape, height, fatness, toenail position, and tail position.
During the Perahera festival at Sri Dalada Maliga in Kandy, a specially trained elephant is chosen to carry the tooth relic. This elephant must be able to walk the streets proudly and earn the people’s devotion.
In the past, elephants were also used in the Sinhalese army, leading the army to face enemy invasions fearlessly. Additionally, elephants are widely used for decoration in elite places, cities, and sacred shrines. Paintings with elephants were also used for home decorations.
Destruction of elephants
It is essential to address the elephant-human conflict, a significant problem in Sri Lanka. The conflict arises due to the increased movement of wild elephants outside of wildlife reserves and the rapid reduction of forest areas caused by human activities.
As a result, the habitats of elephants are becoming more limited, which leads to a higher concentration of elephants in certain regions. Humans put the giants of the earth at risk of disappearing altogether.
Due to elephant-human conflict, 470 elephants are lost in a year
In the last year, 2023, the number of people killed by elephant attacks in Sri Lanka was 176. During that time, the number of elephants lost due to this conflict was calculated to be 470. – Half of them have died as a result of human activities.
Government statistics revealed that the rest were deaths due to medical conditions or accidents. Accordingly, one human death has occurred every two days due to human-elephant conflicts, and it appears that one elephant has died every day.
With the expansion of farming, elephant habitats have been encroached upon. Providing food and water to elephants has become a severe problem; in this situation, elephants are attacking villages, entering croplands and providing food and water. It is the main reason for the creation of elephant-human conflict.
Loss of elephant habitat
The conflict between humans and elephants has resulted in many deaths for both species, highlighting a severe social issue. During the fight against terrorism in Sri Lanka, it was difficult for farmers to cultivate their lands due to the conflict.
However, after the war ended in 2009, the government returned the land to the people. As a result, the people took over areas previously prohibited for elephant habitats, causing them to lose their territories. These territories were used by elephants for a long time, leading to the current conflict.
Is the electric fence successful?
Despite being an offence punishable by law, many farmers in Sri Lanka use lethal tactics to protect their crops and lives from endangered elephants. Elephants can cause significant damage to crops, and in some cases, they even threaten human lives. Identifying such activities has been challenging, as many farmers resort to using poison or setting traps to deter the elephants.
The most common method used in Sri Lanka to keep elephants away from human settlements is the construction of electric fences. These fences are typically erected around agricultural land to protect crops from being destroyed by elephants.
According to reports, around 5,000 electric fences have been built in Sri Lanka. However, despite these efforts, elephant-human conflicts have yet to be effectively controlled.
The issue persists, and finding a solution that works for both the farmers and the elephants is challenging. Some conservationists argue that the root cause of the problem lies in the loss of elephant habitats due to deforestation and human encroachment.
A long-term solution would involve the restoration of elephant habitats, as well as the implementation of measures to reduce human-elephant conflicts. However, until such measures are put into place, farmers will continue to use lethal tactics to protect their crops and lives, and elephants will continue to be at risk.
Elephant death traps
Meanwhile, some people are working to tame elephants by illegally constructing high-voltage electric fences. Another method here is the use of explosive bait called Hakka patas.
‘Hakka patas’ can be known as something similar to a small bomb made by adding explosives to food. Recognising it as food, the alien swallows it and explodes. Due to the injuries caused by it, elephants starve to death due to unbearable pain and inability to eat.
If there is a drought in the protected areas, the elephants have to work hard to find food, and as a result, they are drawn to the farmlands, including hay. Also, the forests are decreasing due to farming activities and settlements, which are exposing the forests daily, and this situation has led to the restriction of elephants’ territory.
The government appointed an official committee in 2020 to prepare a national action plan to reduce elephant-human conflicts. Its head, Prithviraj Fernando, points out that this plan could not be adequately implemented in the last few years due to Sri Lanka facing an economic crisis.
Elephants are threatened with extinction
According to studies, Sri Lanka has seen a 65% decrease in its elephant population since the beginning of the 19th century. The number of elephants killed per year in Sri Lanka has also increased from 250 to over 400 in the past decade. If this trend continues, the country may lose 70% of its elephants.
One of the major concerns is the high number of male elephants killed. Male elephants typically travel alone, which puts them in greater danger. Protecting elephant populations is a responsibility shared by the entire world. Their safety can only ensured with formal programs and sacrifices. The future of their existence is now in the hands of policymakers.
