Sri Lanka is preparing to introduce stricter laws and tougher enforcement against the killing of wild elephants and unauthorized electric fencing. As human-elephant conflict escalates, the Ministry of Environment and Department of Wildlife are launching urgent reforms to safeguard endangered elephant populations and punish offenders.
Stricter laws against the shooting of wild elephants and the construction of unauthorized electric fences are now in the pipeline, following a high-level meeting held at the Ministry of Environment. The discussion was chaired by Environment Minister Dr. Damith Patabendi and Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody and included senior officials from the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The move comes as Sri Lanka faces rising incidents of wild elephant shootings, many of which are linked to conflicts with humans encroaching on elephant habitats. During the meeting, the Minister instructed the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation to take immediate and decisive action to enforce existing laws more effectively and introduce tougher penalties for those found guilty of harming elephants.
A core focus of the meeting was on updating outdated laws concerning the killing of wild animals, particularly elephants, and strengthening legal action against those who construct unauthorized electric fences, especially on private lands. These illegal fences have contributed to a growing number of elephant deaths and severe injuries in recent years.
The Ministry of Environment and the Department of Wildlife Conservation have pledged to work together more closely to find sustainable solutions to the long-standing human-elephant conflict. One of the major initiatives currently underway involves the construction of elephant fences in districts identified as high-risk zones for such conflicts.
To ensure the long-term success of this program, multi-purpose officers have been recruited to oversee maintenance work. The government also plans to deploy civil defense personnel to assist in the upkeep and monitoring of the newly installed fences, as part of a broader plan to protect both human settlements and endangered elephant populations.
The newly proposed measures are intended not only to protect Sri Lanka’s cherished wildlife but also to send a strong message: harming wild elephants will no longer be tolerated.
