The Sri Lanka Natural History Society will host its third public lecture for 2026 on Thursday, 14 May at the University of Colombo, focusing on the effective management and conservation of Sri Lankan elephants.

Titled “Five Behaviours that Underpin Effective Management of Sri Lankan Elephants”, the lecture will be delivered by Professor Devaka Kirthi Weerakoon, Professor of Zoology and Environmental Sciences.

The lecture will examine five key elephant behaviours considered critical to the effective management of Asian elephants in Sri Lanka. It will also explore how the lack of attention to these behaviours has contributed to the continued failure of current approaches to managing the human-elephant conflict, which remains one of the country’s most pressing conservation challenges.

According to the organisers, the session will provide insights into the behavioural foundations of elephant conflict and management, and discuss what must be reconsidered if Sri Lanka is to ensure the long-term conservation of its Asian elephant population.

The event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Auditorium on the sixth floor of the Information Learning Centre (Library) Building, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo.

Admission is free and ample parking facilities will be available.