Sri Lanka wildlife officials to prosecute motorists feeding elephants

The Department of Wildlife Conservation in Sri Lanka has announced it will take legal action against motorists who feed wild elephants along the Kataragama–Buttala road. Officials noted that approximately eight elephants have become accustomed to stopping vehicles in search of food, a behavior attributed partly to bus and safari jeep drivers.

This practice has increased the risk of dangerous encounters. Officials reported that some elephants have attempted to overturn vehicles when not provided with food, including a recent incident where an elephant attacked a bus, injuring approximately 40 people. Over the last six years, five people have been killed in elephant attacks along this route, and more than 100 vehicles are damaged annually.

The road passes through Zone No. 2 of Yala National Park and sees more than 2,000 vehicles daily. Uva Province Assistant Director of Wildlife W. A. Indrajith stated that authorities will use video recordings to identify vehicles involved in feeding wildlife to initiate court proceedings under wildlife laws.