A chilling investigation exposes how a nation’s promise to protect its majestic elephants was sacrificed for foreign investment, triggering an ecological crisis and pushing a centuries-old human-elephant conflict to the brink of catastrophe.
The National People’s Power government is dangerously abandoning scientific principles for ignorance, relentlessly pursuing elephant driving projects with the primary goal of satisfying investor demands. This strategic shift marks a profound betrayal of their own electoral promises. In their “Prosperous Country, Beautiful Life” policy statement and the “Earth Environment Policy,” they explicitly committed to conducting proper studies on elephant population dynamics, intricate movement patterns, and critical habitats to effectively control the human-elephant conflict. They vowed to implement public participation programs utilizing modern biological and advanced technological methods. The government, which ascended to power on the strength of these very policy statements, pledged to deliver science-based solutions to the elephant-human conflict. However, since taking office, it has systematically pursued unscientific and failed methods to manage the conflict, specifically to cater to the needs of investors. This represents a terrible tragedy for Sri Lanka’s conservation efforts. Due to this flawed and short-sighted strategy, both elephants and people are poised to become victims of a massively escalated human-elephant conflict in the very near future, a crisis entirely of the government’s own making.
Following the current administration’s rise to power, the disastrous elephant drive that originated in the Kurunegala district has been aggressively implemented in the Anuradhapura and Hambantota districts as well. The Hambantota drive is particularly alarming, driven by three key investor-focused projects: the aggressive expansion of the Magampura port, the commencement of construction on a massive 8,000-acre land parcel allocated for the Chinese industrial park, and the opening of the ecologically sensitive Valsapugala forest for large-scale solar power plant projects. For decades, Sri Lanka has repeatedly attempted to relocate elephant populations into limited, confined areas, a flawed approach that has consistently ended in catastrophic failure, costing the nation a huge amount of precious public tax money with nothing to show for it. A stark precedent was set in 2006 when elephants in the Hambantota district were forcibly relocated to the Lunugamvehera National Park to clear land for the Walawa Left Bank Project. That operation failed completely within a matter of days, and as a direct consequence, a massive human-elephant conflict erupted across the Hambantota district, a destructive cycle that is now repeating itself.
A complex web of reasons led to the failure of that earlier elephant relocation effort. The essential elephant habitats belonging to the Department of Forest Conservation and the Mahaweli Authority that surround the Lunugamvehera National Park are not ecologically networked, creating isolated pockets of land. The vital elephant trails in the Thethirakanda Nature Reserve, Dahaiyagala Sanctuary and Bogahapattiya area connected to this park have been illegally appropriated for unauthorized cultivation projects. Elephants are rapidly losing their natural feeding grounds due to the unauthorized entry of more than fifty thousand cows and buffaloes into the national park, which decimates the vegetation. Furthermore, the presence of aggressive invasive plant species such as stinkweed and fireweed across most areas of the park degrades the habitat quality. The maintenance of extensive unauthorized cultivation lands and illegal kansa cultivation within the park’s boundaries, coupled with the illegal and harmful activities carried out by people engaged in the fishing industry in the Lunugamvehera reservoir, have created a perfect storm. These factors collectively led to a severe loss of protection and habitat suitability for elephants within the park itself, dooming the relocation from the start.
Despite this prior understanding and the clear lessons from past failures, the government is once again planning to move the elephants scattered across the Hambantota district to the so-called Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve. This is destined to yield the same disastrous outcome as 2006. The reason is simple: the reserve itself is compromised. In accordance with Section 2 of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, by Gazette Notification No. 2222/62 dated 9th April 2021, an area of 23746.55 hectares of land belonging to the Department of Forest Conservation, the Mahaweli Authority and the Land Reforms Commission, spread across the Hambantota, Sooriyawewa, Lunugamvehera and Thanamalwila Divisional Secretariat Divisions of the Hambantota and Monaragala districts, was officially declared as the Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve. However, due to rampant and destructive activities taking place both inside and around the reserve, elephants have effectively lost their shelter and the area is ecologically dysfunctional.
The Dark History of the Elephant Management Reserve
The Department of Wildlife Conservation originally proposed the creation of the “Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve” back in 2011. The visionary aim was to identify the migratory patterns of elephants and control the human-elephant conflict in Hambantota by creating a connected ecological network linking the Udawalawe, Lunugamvehera and Bundala National Parks. This was deemed essential to ensure the safety of elephants who lost their vast habitat due to the 35,000 acres of forests cleared for the construction of the Hambantota metropolis under the Walawa Left Bank Development Project and the National Physical Plan, a classic case of development induced habitat fragmentation.
This comprehensive plan was meticulously prepared from 2009 to 2011 under the Gaja Mithuro program with the active participation of all relevant government institutions and residents of the Hambantota district. It was unanimously approved by the Gaja Mithuro District Committee in 2012. The plan outlined specific, actionable measures including the formal declaration of the Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve, the strategic construction of electric fences, and the crucial opening of dedicated elephant crossings. Nearly fifteen years have passed since the detailed reports prepared by the regional officers of the Department of Wildlife Conservation were forwarded to the head office for implementation. Yet, almost none of these critical measures have been implemented to date. The Elephant Management Reserve was only legally declared in 2021, a full decade after it was initially planned, and this was only achieved as a result of a massive and determined struggle by the farmers of Valsapugala. At that time, the Mahaweli Authority and the then-government made a huge effort to block the declaration of this reserve because they were actively working to lease these very lands to various private companies and businessmen, highlighting a fundamental conflict of interest.
Moreover, the Mahaweli Authority deliberately did not allow the 2011 plan to be implemented properly. Consequently, the Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve could not be declared in a timely and effective manner, and the entire habitat complex for elephants could not be protected. This administrative failure created a vacuum that was quickly exploited. As a result, precious forest lands were allocated for the construction of solar power plants, large-scale black stone and soil mining operations, as well as large-scale commercial cultivation. This led to severe destruction of the habitats in and around the Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve, crippling its functionality before it even began.
Land sale racket in and around the Elephant Management Reserve
A total of 600 acres of forest land, initially proposed to be part of the Elephant Management Reserve in the Buruthankanda and Karuwalawewa areas, were deliberately withheld from declaration by the Mahaweli Authority. This land has now been completely cleared to establish solar power plant projects, a clear case of land alienation for energy projects.
A large-scale and organized sale racket of forest lands within the proposed Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve has been ongoing since 2011, operating under the political patronage of the then government. The forest lands belonging to this reserve, which were historically designated as Nintagam lands, were systematically sold off in pieces. About 500 acres of the vital forest area extending from Panwewa to Gonnoruwa, known as Gonnoruwa Nintagama, were divided into plots of 25 and 50 acres each and sold to Colombo-based businessmen. Similarly, the forest area of Galahitiyawatta, located from Ketanwewa to Malala Ara, also known as Nintagama, fell victim to this destructive land-lotting racket.
Significantly, parts of the Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve that were excised from the first plan in 2021 are currently being handed over to various companies for the construction of solar power plants, and forest clearing is actively ongoing. In addition, large-scale granite quarrying pits are also being established within this forest. This entire forest area constitutes a major habitat for elephants, and its rapid loss has been a primary factor in the escalating growth of the human-elephant conflict in the region.
Loss of elephant passes in the Elephant Management Reserve
The ecological connectivity of the reserve has been systematically dismantled. As a result of the Mahaweli Authority distributing all the lands of the critical Buruthankanda Elephant Pass, where elephants travel from the Elephant Management Reserve to the Madunagala Sanctuary, to private individuals, a population of between 18 and 20 elephants is now effectively trapped in the Madunagala Sanctuary. This isolation forces these animals to enter surrounding villages, leading to significant crop damage and escalating tensions with local communities.
Furthermore, about 20 elephants are confined to a remnant area of about 2500 acres of forest, a small portion of the 5000 acres originally used to build the Magampura Port. Because these animals are boxed in, they enter nearby villages at night, creating constant problematic situations for residents. The root cause is the loss of connectivity between the Elephant Management Reserve and this isolated forest fragment.
The elephant population living in the Gonnoruwa area of the Elephant Management Reserve has now completely lost its traditional access to the Bundala National Park. This connectivity once existed through forests from the Galwewa area, but large-scale deforestation there has completely blocked this ancient elephant access route. In addition, the Koholankala Elephant Pass, a crucial corridor for elephants moving from Bundala to the Elephant Management Reserve, has been appropriated for a large-scale chilli cultivation project. Electric fences have been erected in that area, completely blocking the elephants’ path. The cumulative impact of these disruptions is that many areas in the Hambantota district have been transformed into high-risk zones for deadly human-elephant conflict.
Another major corridor, the Handilla Elephant Pass, has also been blocked. Elephants living in the forests of the Bundala National Park and wider Hambantota area historically moved through the Handilla Elephant Pass to reach the Lunugamvehera and Udawalawe National Parks. A housing complex has been constructed directly on this elephant pass located between Gonnoruwa and Ketanwewa. In a further act of encroachment, another 50 acres of land within the Handilla Elephant Pass has been allocated using a fake deed that falsely stated it was Nindagam land, and electric fences have been constructed to solidify the blockade.
The Elephant Management Reserve and the Udawalawe National Park are supposed to be connected through the area between the 31st and 32nd kilometer posts of the Udawalawe – Thanamalwila road. However, due to persistent opposition from local politicians to the opening of this elephant pass, it has been impossible to prepare and implement plans for it. This political interference has directly prevented the networking of elephant habitats in Hambantota and its surrounding areas as originally envisioned.
Illegal cultivation and quarrying in the Wild Elephant Reserve
The integrity of the reserve is being destroyed from within. The forests belonging to the Mahaweli Authority located inside the Elephant Management Reserve are being cleared on a large scale for unauthorized cultivation. These illegal activities are concentrated in the Hamuduru Wewa, Ihala Andara Wewa, Seenukkugala, Pahala Andara Wewa, Dimuthugama and Weli Wewa areas. Simultaneously, forests belonging to the Forest Conservation Department within the reserve are also being cleared for unauthorized cultivation in several key locations, namely Rathukurusa Wewa, Dakshina Wewa, Aluth Wewa, Kadawara Wewa, Bandagiriya Wewa, Maha Aluthgangara Wewa, Ranawarunawa Wewa and Devranwehera Wewa. Large-scale excavation for soil has been carried out in the Mayurapura and Nagara Wewa areas, and during the construction of expressways, forests were cleared from numerous sites for soil sourcing, illustrating how infrastructure projects contribute to habitat loss.
In addition to cultivation, forest lands belonging to both the Department of Forest Conservation and the Mahaweli Authority within the Elephant Management Reserve are being cleared for large-scale black stone quarrying pits. Forests under the Department of Forest Conservation in the Weheragala and Maha Aluthgangara areas have been exploited for this purpose. Furthermore, forests belonging to the Mahaweli Authority in the Mayurapura, Seenukkugala, Ketanwewa, Ihala Andarawewa, Kuda Indiwewa, Galahitiya and Gonnoruwa areas are being cleared and converted into large-scale black stone pits, representing a double assault of habitat destruction and resource extraction.
A particularly egregious example is currently unfolding where about 2000 acres of land around Hamuduru Wewa, located between Maha Andara Wewa and Pahala Andara Wewa in the Suriyawewa Divisional Secretariat, have been completely cleared for large-scale banana cultivation, maintained by just eight individuals. These unauthorized cultivation lands are protected by electric fences, which directly obstruct elephant movement and block access to their habitats. Consequently, damage caused by elephants to legitimate farmers’ cultivation lands in Maha Andara Wewa, Walsapugala, Karuwala Wewa, Thissapura and Ranamayurapura areas has increased dramatically. The access of elephants to other key water sources like Weera Wewa, Galahitiya Wewa, Elalla Wewa and Pusgale Wewa has been completely blocked by these electric fences and cultivation lands. Moreover, the unauthorized use of 81 water pumps to extract water from the Andara Wewa for these plantations has led to an acute water shortage for farmers who are legally cultivating lands under this tank, creating a human-water crisis alongside the human-elephant conflict.
In the past, the Mahaweli Authority itself developed about 6000 acres of forests within the Elephant Management Reserve spread across Pachaiyapura, Gonnoruwa, Ketanwewa, Pahala Andarawewa and Kudaidiwewa and handed them over as commercial lands. This direct action by a state agency has resulted in a significant portion of the Elephant Management Reserve being lost to elephants, creating a host of ecological and social problems.
Forests in the Elephant Management Reserve belonging to the Mahaweli Authority
Approximately 40 percent of the Elephant Management Reserve currently being misused is composed of forest lands under the control of the Mahaweli Authority. In accordance with Section 3 (1) of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority Act No. 23 of 1979, a vast area of land was transferred to the Mahaweli Authority by Gazette Notification No. 137 dated 16 April 1981, designated as the Walawa area. It is critical to note that this transfer was not intended for the purpose of clearing and developing the entire area for commercial purposes.
During the implementation of the broader Mahaweli Rapid Development Project, many protected areas, including national parks, were specifically declared to ensure the safety of all biological communities, including elephants, that lost their habitats and watersheds. However, during the implementation of the Walawa Project, only a very small fraction of the forests belonging to the Mahaweli Authority were designated as reserves to protect biodiversity. The majority of the land was handed over for various development uses. This historical imbalance is a root cause of the acute human-elephant conflict experienced in this area today.
Six specific forest areas belonging to the Mahaweli Authority within the Elephant Management Reserve currently remain unprotected, leaving them highly vulnerable. The main one is the 300-hectare Karambagasmulla Medicinal Forest located in the Madunagala Sanctuary. In addition, the Konketi Ara Forest, spread around Wewe Gama, Weli Ara, Bedi Wewa, Bogaha Indi Wewa, and Kuda Indi Wewa, covers about 700 hectares. This dense forest supports a healthy elephant population and serves as the crucial catchment area for many canals related to the Mawu Ara project.
About 120 hectares of forests located in the catchment areas of Maha Indiwewa and Upper Kumbuk Wewa are under Mahaweli Authority control. Among them, about 20 hectares of the Suriyamara forest plantation located in the upper reaches of Maha Indiwewa has become well-naturalized. The forest area of about 400 hectares located between Gonnoruwa Road and Malala Ara and the Elalla forest area of about 200 hectares near the villages of Pahala Andara Wewa, Hembilla, and Ketan Wewa are also under the Authority’s control. All these ecologically valuable forest areas should be immediately transferred to the Department of Wildlife Conservation and granted formal protection. Otherwise, they will be completely destroyed by the Mahaweli Authority or its lessees in a very short time, leading to irreversible ecological loss.
Forests of the Forest Department belonging to the Elephant Management Reserve
A number of other critical forest areas belonging to the Forest Department, separate from the Mahaweli Authority lands, also fall within the Elephant Management Reserve. These include the Thammanna – Bandagiriya Residual Forest of about 600 hectares, the Bundala – Siriygama Residual Forest of about 500 hectares, the Ranmudu Wewa Forest Reserve of about 2000 hectares and the Keligama – Koholankala Residual Forest of about 600 hectares. These forests are also under severe threat today from various development pressures.
During the 2010-2015 government, 1000 acres of forests in the Keligama – Koholankala Residual Forest were acquired for transfer to the Urban Development Authority. This forest area is exceptionally important as it constitutes the Koholankala Elephant Pass. The destruction and development of forests in this corridor has led to the loss of traditional elephant routes and has been a source of numerous conflict-related problems.
The Tammannawa-Bandagiriya Residual Forest, located above the Malala Ara, is a major elephant corridor between the Lunugamvehera National Park and the Bundala National Park. Various individuals are constantly trying to claim these forest lands, arguing that there are lands belonging to the Land Reforms Commission in this area. Efforts are currently underway to acquire 50 acres of this forest for cashew cultivation, and the Land Reforms Commission is reportedly taking steps to release those lands. Furthermore, despite alternative lands being provided to people displaced by the construction of the Bandagiriya Reservoir, an organized group is attempting to claim forests belonging to the Land Reforms Commission using old land deeds from areas that were submerged by the reservoir itself.
Hambantota’s Informal Development That Orphaned Elephants
The consequences of this widespread deforestation and habitat fragmentation are dire. The killing of elephants that enter cultivation lands, either by shooting or electrocution, has increased dramatically in the Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve and surrounding areas like Ketanwewa, Kuda Indiwewa, Nagarawewa, Panwewa, Walsapugala, Thalawilla, Ilukpalessa, Seenukkugala and Matigathwewa.
The alarming rate of elephant deaths and human fatalities from elephant attacks in this area can be directly attributed to the informal and poorly planned development activities carried out in Hambantota. A staggering 5000 acres of a vast forest system, a major elephant habitat in the Mattala area, were completely cleared just to build Sri Lanka’s second international airport. Subsequently, huge swathes of forest were cleared to build related road systems and other infrastructure, the Magampura Port, the Hambantota International Conference Hall, the Mirijjawila Investment Zone, the Hambantota Administrative Complex, the expressway system, and the cricket stadium. This uncoordinated development spree dispossessed elephants of their homes, forcing them into the newly developed areas of Lower Andaragaswewa, Dimuthugama, Elalla, Lower Mattala, Uda Mattala, Punchiappu Jadura, Badagiriya and Lunugamvehera, thereby creating a massive human-elephant conflict where none existed before. The resulting damage to cultivated lands and properties is immense. This unsustainable situation has even compelled some farmers to abandon their farming activities altogether, a tragic outcome for food security and rural livelihoods.
The impact of this deforestation extends beyond conflict. Many areas that previously had no history of human-elephant conflict have now become victims. Furthermore, the destruction of these large-scale forest systems, which function as critical watersheds, is a primary reason for the severe droughts and massive water crises that have plagued the region in recent years.
Today, a large number of elephants live in isolated confinement, orphaned by Hambantota’s irregular development. They are trapped in the Hambantota Port complex, the Mirijjawila Investment Zone, the forest fragment behind the Hambantota Administrative Complex, the Nugegalaya area near the playground, the Edison Mountain area, and other isolated forest blocks left behind between development projects, such as the Manajjawa Forest, Madunagala Forest, Nagarawewa area, Upper Kumbukwewa and Kumaragama Forest areas. These animals are effectively stranded, cut off from their herds and migratory routes.
The expressway from Matara to Hambantota has been built directly through the heart of the Elephant Management Reserve, bisecting it. Similarly, the expressway from Matara to Mattala Airport via the Upper Andara Lake and the expressway entrance from Magampura Port to the Upper Andara Lake have severely fragmented the reserve’s forest systems. A forest belt approximately 150 meters wide and 8 kilometers long has been completely removed for the expressway alone. Due to these infrastructure barriers, the Seenukkugala, Walsapugala, and Karuwalawewa forest areas of the Elephant Management Reserve have been completely isolated, along with the elephants residing within them. The lack of foresight by the relevant planners has resulted in the surrounding communities becoming increasingly vulnerable to human-elephant conflict.
As a direct result of the illegal and politically motivated development projects in the Hambantota district, which systematically fragment elephant habitats, the human-elephant conflict has reached a critical level in a long list of areas including Walsapugala, Karuwalawewa, Madunagala, Hadilla, Karamagahamulla, Nabadagaswewa, Katu Wewa, Pathalayagama, Arabedda, Keligama, Galwewa, Hondwel Pokuna, Ballagas Wewa, Baragama, Ambalantota, Manajjawa, Wewegama, Weli Ara, Weli Wewa, Meegahajadura, Mattala, Udamattala, Gonnoruwa, Bandagiriya, Thammennawa, Kerusa Wewa, Julgamuwa, Yahangala, Andarawewa, Panwewa, Seenukkugala, Nagara Wewa, Kuda Indi Wewa, Ketan Wewa and Tonadiya Pokuna.
Protecting the Wild Elephant Reserve and Protecting Elephants and Farmland
The Elephant Management Reserve is not merely a piece of land for elephants; it is a complex and vital ecosystem. There are about 25 ancient tanks located in the forest areas under the control of the Forest Conservation Department within the reserve. The largest of these are the Matigath Tank, the Swarnamali Tank, the Lolugaswekada Tank, the Keligama Tank, the Parengi Tank, the Weerasinghe Tank, the Dozerwatte Tank, the Thammenna Tank, the Bandagiriya Tank, the Kadawara Tank, the Udamattala Tank, the Orukengala Tank, the Pan Tank, the Katu Tank, the Lunuweraniya Tank, the Ranmudu Tank, the Maha Aluthgangara Tank, the Maha Gal Tank, the Kuda Tank, the Galapita Tank, the Rathu Kurusa Tank, the Dakshina Tank, the Serunkeliya Tank and the Aluth Tank. Among these, the Bandagiriya Tank is the largest. Additionally, there are about 17 tanks located within the forest areas of the Mahaweli Authority in the reserve, including Kikili Idda Tank, Gal Tank, Divulpelessa Tank, Ilukpelessa Tank, Ketan Tank, Galahitiya Tank, Teakka Tank, Hamuduru Tank, Andara Tank, Usgala Tank, Wewegam Tank, Kuda Indi Tank, Elalla Tank, Hadilla Tank, Pahala Andara Tank, Karametiya Tank and Muttagallara Tank. The water security for agriculture and the survival of the entire biological community, including elephants, are entirely dependent on the health of the forest system in this reserve.
Therefore, the Elephant Management Reserve represents a mosaic of unique and interconnected ecosystems. It contains dry mixed evergreen forests, thorny scrub forests, and vital wetland systems including the ancient tank cascades. A population of about 450 elephants and a vast array of other wildlife are supported by these ecosystems. This area is a primary habitat for a majority of resident wetland birds and also a major feeding ground for international migratory wetland birds. Moreover, the reserve contains numerous archaeologically valuable sites. Tragically, all these natural and cultural treasures are being rapidly lost due to the utter lack of proper protection and management for this reserve.
What should be done?
A scientific and ethical solution is urgently needed. To successfully bring the Hambantota elephants into the Elephant Management Reserve, the first and most critical step is to transfer all the surrounding forests to this reserve, consolidating management under the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Simultaneously, all the traditional elephant trails connected to this reserve must be reopened and secured. Active steps must be taken to reconnect the isolated forest fragments through dedicated corridors. Specifically, the vital routes for elephants to move between the Bundala, Lunugamvehera and Udawalawe National Parks must be opened immediately as a top priority. Furthermore, all unauthorized cultivation lands and all granite quarrying pits located inside the reserve must be completely removed in a systematic operation. Following this, stringent measures must be implemented to control all illegal activities, including logging, land encroachment, and unauthorized water extraction, within this forest system. This comprehensive approach is the only way to enhance the safety and long-term viability of elephants in the Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve.
Otherwise, it is ecologically impossible to simply drive all the elephants in the Hambantota district into this compromised reserve and confine them with electric fences, as seems to be the plan advocated by National People’s Power Hambantota District Parliamentarian Nihal Galappaththi, ostensibly to free up land for investors based on government needs. Attempting such an unscientific and brutal forced relocation will not solve the conflict; it will merely displace it. The elephants, unable to survive in an overcrowded and degraded reserve, will break out and invade the cultivation lands surrounding the reserve, ultimately displacing the very farmers the government claims to support. MP Nihal Galappaththi must not be allowed to formulate and promote such unscientific plans that will inevitably create a worse humanitarian and ecological disaster. The future of Sri Lanka’s elephants and the safety of its rural communities depend on a return to science, planning, and genuine conservation, not reckless drives for investment at any cost.
