Sri Lanka finds growing elephant numbers

September 03, 2011|Associated Press

A count conducted last month in Sri Lankan forests and wildlife parks found… (Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP/Getty…)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - The first national survey of Sri Lanka’s wild elephants found more than had been estimated - a sign the endangered species has a healthy, growing population.

The count conducted last month in forests and wildlife parks found 5,879 wild elephants, of which 122 are tuskers and 1,107 calves, Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena said yesterday.

Previous counts did not cover the entire island, but the end of a quarter-century civil war in 2009 opened former war zones to wildlife workers.

The previous estimate was 5,350 elephants, said Wildlife Department director general H.D. Ratnayake said. Other details of the survey will be released later.

About 20 wildlife groups withdrew their support of the count, accusing the government of using it as a “smoke screen’’ for capturing the endangered animals and domesticating some for use in Buddhist temples, tourism, and labor.

Their accusation came after Chandrasena was quoted as saying 300 young elephants would be captured and handed over to Buddhist temples after the census. Elephants in elaborate costumes are often used in Buddhist ceremonies where they parade through the streets carrying the sacred relics.

Chandrasena has said he was misquoted and no wild elephants would be captured.

In the early 1900s, 10,000 to 15,000 elephants roamed the island. But poaching and the loss of habitat due to human activities such as deforestation for farming have taken their toll.