Travel Sri Lanka Tourist Information Center™ — The Human Compass™ / Awareness & Education Series

THE ELEPHANTS ARE DYING — AND IT’S NOT THEIR FAULT

Point of View — by The Human Compass™

For decades, poor decision-making and unplanned development have damaged the harmony between humans and nature. From colonial times to today, land has been sold, gifted, or reserved for political benefit without vision or respect for the environment. Roads, farms, and buildings have been built across ancient elephant corridors. Education failed to share real knowledge and humanity. Now both humans and elephants are suffering.

Sri Lanka is not a large country; this issue is not impossible to solve. What we need is leadership with empathy and citizens with awareness. The current government has started taking action, but the government alone cannot heal this. As humans, we must each do our part — because this planet does not belong only to us. We are only one part of it, and though we are technologically advanced, we are not yet advanced in mind.

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1) Introduction — The Heart of the Issue

In a land once called the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, giants are falling every day. The elephants that carried our kings, built our culture, and draw travelers from every corner of the world are dying — not from nature, but from human hands.

Each year, hundreds of elephants and humans lose their lives in this growing conflict. What began as a struggle for space has become a tragedy of misunderstanding.

2) Understanding the Problem

Sri Lanka’s dry zones once offered vast forests and migration routes for elephants. As these areas became farmlands, towns, and road networks, elephant habitats were broken into fragments.

• Average yearly deaths: more than 400 elephants and over 150 humans.
• Key cause: loss of habitat and blocked migration paths.
• Global recognition: The IUCN identifies Sri Lanka as a priority area for human–elephant coexistence research.

3) What Causes It

• Deforestation and encroachment of wildlife land.
• Farming and housing projects built over natural corridors.
• Poor land-use planning and lack of environmental education.
• Reactive policies instead of long-term national planning.

4) What Other Countries Are Doing

India: Solar and bee fences; early-warning sensors.

Kenya: Community rangers, protected migration routes, eco-tourism benefits for locals.

Thailand: Bio-acoustic and satellite tracking for herd monitoring.

Botswana: Farmer compensation programs and re-forestation of buffer zones.

Each model blends science with compassion — a combination Sri Lanka urgently needs.

5) Sri Lanka’s Path — Our Compass Direction

Short-Term Actions

• Re-establish elephant corridors using scientific migration data.
• Provide insurance, early-warning systems, and education for farming communities.
• Strengthen community-based eco-tourism centered on elephant protection.

Long-Term Vision

• Restore forest zones through sustainable agroforestry.
• Reform land-use laws to protect biodiversity.
• Introduce environmental education in every school.
• Build national cooperation between government, scientists, and citizens.

The Human Compass™ reminds us:
“If we can share land with kindness, we can share the planet with love.”

6) Final Reflection

Peace between humans and elephants is possible. It begins when we understand that they are not our enemies but our ancient guardians.

7) Verified Sources

• Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka
• IUCN Red List & National Elephant Conservation Plan (2023)
• WWF Human–Elephant Conflict Solution Reports
• Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka

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