A high powered discussion recently on Human Elephant Conflict agreed it is an urgent National Issue outside of petty political agendas. Where is the follow up on that 150 minute discussion?

Main “takeaways” from the panel discussion on Monday 10^th September on News 1^st regarding the Human Elephant Conflict (HEC)

Those on the hot seat were, Environmental Lawyer Jagath Gunewardena, Elephant Expert & Scientist Chairman of the Center for Conservation and Research Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando, Environmentalist & Director Species Conservation Center Pubudu Weeraratne, Chairman of the Federation of Environmental Agencies Rohan Wijesinha, and Deputy Minister for Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Mr Palitha Thewerapperuma. 

This was hosted by Sonali Wanigabaduge and a panel of three journalists picked to ask questions of the panel.

The consensus was this is a NATIONAL PROBLEM that needs urgent discussion and a policy framework devoid of a political agenda, which should not change depending on changes in political colors from time to time. In summary some of the solutions are shown below, to be refined and coated to be acceptable to those affected: 

Too many agencies, all working at cross purposes, which actually contribute to the HEC, which is getting worse by the day, despite the desire to throw resources to mitigate its effects.

Elephants have their own trajectory, based on their history and needs, and this has been blocked off for various reasons, without adequate passages to compensate and permit their migration.

The DWC is resources starved to do the job for which it is responsible, and throwing money for fencing, or adding 3,000 more staff, is not going to automatically resolve the longer issues that need tackling.

Elephants and people share 66% of the land mass of Sri Lanka, and in this area, it is important that people are mindful of this interdependence. Therefore building Udagammana housing units right across Elephant Corridors is going to aggravate an already tense situation rather than alleviate it. All these housing schemes are political gimmicks that will come back to haunt their patrons, as these homes will not be livable due to elephant attacks. It is best to immediately halt their spread and wise to remove those already finished and handed over, before it becomes a liability to the Government.

Adopt the Elephant Management System, prepared by the Department of Wildlife and approved by the Cabinet in its entirety, instead of ignoring it completely. This will prevent further escalation of the conflict.

There is no shortage of elephant experts in Sri Lanka, heed their advice instead of ignoring it. The conflict can be managed with locating the electric fences in ecological boundaries instead of departmental jurisdictions, as the latter is bound to fail and be constantly in need of repair, due to elephant not heeding its dictates!

Remove all cattle from Protected areas and especially from all National Parks as a matter of priority, as grazing cannot be shared by Elephants and cattle, and find alternative enclosed areas for grazing in areas of human settlement.

Permit temporary fencing and protection just for one season crops, and remove them for elephant grazing once harvested, which will alleviate unnecessary fencing barring traditional elephant habitat, while marketing the concept of fencing villages in, and not fencing elephants in, which will not alleviate conflict which will arise, if they are prevented from moving into traditional land

Most local authorities dispose of their rubbish into forest lands frequented by Elephants, which leads to herds gravitating to these dumps, and often ingesting plastic and lethal items as a result. An urgent action plan to prevent this immediately and alternative garbage disposal procedures adopted. Elephants used to this practice are more likely to want to break into villages, than those who have not been exposed to local garbage dumps.

The upkeep, maintenance, repair of Electric Fences - the responsibility of the villagers, who will receive payment to those entrusted. This thrusts responsibility directly to those affected. It has proved successful in areas where this principal has been adopted, with little or no HEC, so it has worked fine!

It is important that steps are taken for the Department of Wildlife Conservation and The Forest Department of Sri Lanka to be under one ministry and work hand in hand, CLOSELY as more elephants inhabit Forest Department Land than land belonging to the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

In keeping with the President’s goal of doubling the land under forest cover, to immediately stop any more land being demarcated for development from DWC and FD land, and perhaps to bring back already degraded land previously given up for sugar cane cultivation and the like, to new planting of forestry.

The private sector as stakeholders in the biodiversity of Sri Lanka can be called into partner projects of re-forestation and managed tourism to counter the bad effects of excessive visitation of Yala, Minneriya and Kaudulla.

If jeep drivers are now acting as tour guides inside the parks, due to the lack of Park Rangers, then they must be trained and carry that certification for the park which they are using. They must adhere to all the rules of the Park strictly and any violations dealt with harshly.

Awareness programs for the public in conflict zones, to the presence of elephants and basic precautions to be taken, especially in travelling in the dark by foot, where elephants can be rattled, and basic precautions to protect one’s property, without resorting to ammunition to chase elephants away.

Negotiate with villagers to remove homes in direct Elephant corridors and re-house them, in a similar manner people are being resettled when highways are constructed.

A long term plan of purchasing land to return to forest, choosing the areas carefully to permit elephants more space to roam in including unproductive agricultural lands that are subsistence and marginal.