Policy to minimise human elephant conflict

S. M. Wijayaratne Kurunegala correspondent

According to the recent survey conducted by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, it has been revealed that during the past nine months of 2008, 60 wild elephants have died and 24 human beings have died following attacks by wild elephants in the North Western zone of the wildlife conservation.

A senior official of the Wildlife Department in Kurunegala told the "Daily News" that the conflict between wild elephants and humans is very serious. In the year 2007, 33 humans and 73 wild elephants have died of this ongoing conflict.

"Administrative districts of Kurunegala, Puttalam, Mannar and Anuradhapura come under the north Western Zone of Wildlife Conservation and the conflict is very grave in the Kurunegala district" said Manjula Amararatne, the Assistant . Director of Wildlife Conservation of North Western Zone.

However, all possible steps are being taken to remedy this situation by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and to save the wild elephant population.