Opinions of Dr. H. Manthrithillake,

Director, Environment and Forest Conservation Division, Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka as per Telephone Conference with Lareef Zubair, December 10, 2001:

The Human-Elephant Conflict is an issue that affects the Mahaweli in a large number of areas. In particular, the issue arises in the following wilderness areas and the villages surrounding them: These are

1. Victoria, Randenigala and Rantembe conservation area (Eastern Hill slopes)

2. Wasgomuwa Park, System B, Somawathiya Sanctuary, Minneriya, Giritale Reserve

3. System C and the Maduru Oya Sanctuary, (North-East)

4. Wasgomuwa also has a link to the Kala Oya Basin, Ras Vehera and Wilpattu sanctuaries(North Central)

5. The Walawe basin (in the South) that we also manage has a number of elephant issues arising from the herds in the Udawalawe Sanctuary above and Handapangala which connects to Yala. (South-East)

My division is involved in the elephant management aspects with funding from the European Union (100 million rupees – 100 rupees = 1 USD) through

1. Education Programs: We have developed leaflets, pamphlets, and are promoting coexistence in a participatory manner using indigenous knowledge. – Villagers who have been living in the area over generations know of various techniques to anticipate and manage danger. They know the fodder that the elephants eat, the use of certain trees to keep away elephants, etc. We have been conducting programs in the affected villages

2. Electric Fencing: The Mahaweli Authority has established around 200-miles of electric fencing to reduce human-elephant contact. This work is going on now. These fences are difficult to maintain due to vegetation growth. The elephants themselves have developed various techniques to break down the fences: they use logs to break down the fences or push down the wooden pools with their hind legs.

3. Wildlife Enrichment programs:

In the areas that are allocated for elephants, we are undertaking the rehabilitation of abandoned tanks and other ways of improving the elephant habitat.

In all this, we work closely with the assistance of the Wildlife Department. In particular, we do not tranquilize or capture any elephants but call upon the department. For this project work, we can obtain the cooperation of the Wildlife Department, as we constantly interact with the the Director and several others involved in it.