• Also reviewing 500 km electric fence system for functioning and positioning 

The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) has outlined the current status of Sri Lanka’s elephant population and the ongoing efforts to mitigate the escalating human-elephant conflict (HEC), as recent weeks have seen a surge in fatalities on both sides.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (18), the DWC Director General (DG) Ranjan Marasinghe revealed that the Department has set a five-year timeline to conduct a comprehensive elephant census. Until then, the agency is relying on data from the 2024 census and continuous field observations. 

According to Marasinghe, despite numerous reports of elephant deaths, there is no observable decline in the overall population. "The census is conducted over two days, and the number of elephants observed during that period is considered the minimum number residing in the country," he explained. He noted the census focuses on critical data points such as sex ratios and age distribution.

Marasinghe pointed out that while the elephant population in the Eastern region has already reached its carrying capacity, the situation is less severe in other parts of the island.

He further stated that mitigating the HEC has become the Department’s primary focus, sometimes at the expense of other responsibilities. "As the Department, we have dedicated most of our time to reducing the HEC. We have utilised the maximum capacity of our cadre for this, even if it means missing some of our other purposes," he said.

He detailed that action plans have been formulated at the District level in consultation with District Secretariats. Daily operations, including continuous patrols, are underway. The Department is also reviewing the national electric fence system, which currently spans over 500 kilometres (km). "We are assessing whether it is functioning properly and what changes are needed. Some of these fences are not positioned effectively," Marasinghe admitted, adding that regional-level issues are being discussed with the local authorities to find practical resolutions.

The urgency of these measures is underscored by a recent spike in related incidents. A foreign national was killed in a wild elephant attack in Sigiriya recently. Just days earlier, a woman was killed and three others were injured in a similar attack in Valaichchenai.