Sri Lanka faces severe drought crisis affecting farmers and wildlife

Sri Lanka is facing a severe drought crisis that is significantly impacting both agricultural communities and wildlife. Months of insufficient rainfall, exacerbated by high temperatures and humidity, have left many reservoirs at approximately one-third capacity, leading to water rationing across various parts of the island.

Climate experts attribute the lack of rain to a combination of the El Niño weather pattern and human-driven climate change. The failure of the southwest monsoon to provide expected rainfall has left smallholder farmers struggling to maintain livelihoods, with many facing the prospect of abandoning cultivation due to drying wells and cracked earth.

The shortage has also created ecological pressure in the country’s dry zones. Wildlife, including elephants and deer, are increasingly congregating around the few remaining water holes, raising concerns among conservationists regarding potential human-wildlife conflict as animals move closer to villages in search of resources.