COLOMBO – In a ground-breaking initiative to address Sri Lanka’s human-elephant conflict, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has launched to project to fit wild elephants with GPS collars to track and manage their movements.

The project launched in Oyamaduwa, Anuradhapura, as an initial step, and slated to be expanded to cover several areas from Anuradhapura to the Wilpattu National Park, is part of a broader strategy to mitigate the growing conflict between humans and elephants, a persistent issue in many parts of the country.

The conflict has led to the deaths of hundreds of people and elephants each year, as well as the destruction of property. Statistics show that over 800 elephants have been killed in 2022 and 2024, and an average of 80 people die each year in human-elephant conflict incidents.

Crop damage caused by wild elephants is also a leading concern, with incidents reported daily, especially in agricultural districts like Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.

The introduction of GPS technology aims to provide wildlife officials with real-time data to anticipate elephant movements and implement preventive measures effectively.

The initiative is a collaborative effort involving wildlife officials, local residents, and the Sri Lanka Navy. By combining expertise and resources, the operation seeks to strike a balance between conserving Sri Lanka’s elephant population and safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of affected communities.

In addition to GPS tracking, a parallel program to relocate wild elephants to designated reserves was recently launched in Anuradhapura, a district particularly hard-hit by elephant-related crop destruction. However, the abrupt suspension of the relocation process has sparked frustration among local residents, who claim that the lack of action has left their villages more vulnerable to increased elephant activity.

Human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka is rooted in habitat loss and fragmentation, as expanding human settlements and agricultural practices encroach on traditional elephant migration corridors. This conflict results in losses on both sides, with dozens of elephants and humans killed each year in avoidable encounters.

Experts believe that the integration of GPS technology into wildlife management could mark a turning point in Sri Lanka’s efforts to address this conflict. By understanding elephant behaviour and movement patterns, authorities hope to implement more sustainable solutions, including the establishment of safe migration corridors, enhanced electric fencing systems, and community-based conservation initiatives.

The success of the program in Anuradhapura could pave the way for similar projects in other regions affected by human-elephant conflict, offering a model for combining technology and community engagement in wildlife conservation.

–ENCL