The Wildlife Conservation Department (DWC) recently initiated a programme to fit GPS collars on elephants as a part of its long-term objective to minimise the human–elephant conflict.
There were a record number of elephant deaths due to human activities in the last two years, and environmentalists held the DWC responsible claiming that the Department is inefficient in implementing a programme to fit GPS collars on the elephants.
However, the DWC recently began a project under the direction of DWC Director General M.G.C. Sooriyabandara to fit GPS collars on elephants roaming the Uva Province, with special focus on areas where the human–elephant conflict is at its worst. Accordingly, an elephant was fitted with a GPS collar in Mapakada, Mahiyangana, under the supervision of Deraniyagala Wildlife officers and the Uva Southern elephant capturing team last week, DWC sources said.
Add new comment