A new technology-based system aimed at preventing wild elephants from being hit by trains will be introduced as a pilot project at 13 high-risk locations from October.
The project is being implemented as a public-private partnership under the Clean Sri Lanka programme, with the Departments of Railways, Wildlife Conservation and Forest Conservation working together. It is funded entirely by a State bank.
The detection system uses three-beam technology, passive infrared sensors, automatic temperature sensors and a tamper alarm system to detect animals weighing more than 20 kgs and identify unauthorised interference.
Red, yellow and green signal lights installed on both sides of railway tracks, together with a special display inside locomotive cabs, will alert train drivers in advance to the precise location of an elephant.
A demonstration of the system was conducted at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in the presence of relevant officials, following which a report was prepared. The pilot will initially cover 13 locations where wild elephant-train collisions are frequently reported.
A new website, ‘slps.lk’, is also scheduled to be launched to enable the progress of the project to be monitored live.
Meanwhile, the need for an expedited national policy to address the human-elephant conflict (HEC), with the participation of all relevant stakeholders and institutions, was highlighted at a Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability meeting.
The Committee discussed research findings and policy recommendations on managing HEC, addressing the food and water needs of wild elephants, improving wildlife habitats and increasing community participation in conservation.
It also stressed the need for a management programme to reduce the risk of elephants entering human settlements due to shortages of food and water within wildlife habitats.
The Committee called for six identified elephant corridors to be gazetted expeditiously, while emphasising the need to improve habitats in wildlife reserves and strengthen community awareness programmes.
It further stressed that addressing HEC requires evidence-based action, scientific research and data, stronger coordination among State institutions, and adapting successful approaches to Sri Lanka’s circumstances.