FOR THE SRI LANKAN ELEPHANT

A photography competition by WNPS & Spa Ceylon focused on the urgent need to protect Sri Lanka’s elephants

Asian elephants are said to be even more endangered than their African relatives, not due to poaching but the rapidly escalating threat of habitat loss. Sri Lanka is one of the 13 Asian Elephant Range States, which still hosts a significant wild Asian elephant population (estimated at approximately 6,000).

In Sri Lanka, elephants have held a pivotal position in the country’s history and culture from ancient times. Elephants are a ‘keystone species’ meaning they play a crucial role in their natural habitats, in keeping the balance and protecting the overall health of the forest ecosystem. Not only this, they are also a hugely valuable economic asset. Tourism is Sri Lanka’s third largest foreign exchange-revenue earner and elephants are one of the country’s biggest attractions, as evidenced by the upward trajectory in visitor numbers to wildlife parks such as Minneriya, Kaudulla and Udawalawe. According to a recent study undertaken by Mr. Srilal Miththapala, former President of the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) and ardent wildlife lover, the overall economic value of a single wild elephant to Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is close to Rs. 4 million or US$ 21,400. (“The economic value of elephants in Sri Lanka for tourism” by Srilal Miththapala, Daily FT, 25 December 2020)

Sadly, Sri Lanka is also the country which has the highest human-elephant conflict (HEC) in the world. Habitat loss from deforestation and encroachment into wildlife habitats for development and agricultural projects, have led to a steep rise in HEC incidents in the past decade. Approximately 100 people and 300 elephants lose their lives annually to the HEC, an alarming trend that is set to continue this year too.

In the last 10 years alone over 2,953 elephants have lost their lives to the HEC, highlighting the gravity of the issue.

Wildlife and Nature Protection Society’s (WNPS) Human Elephant Coexistence Subcommittee works exclusively on initiatives to ensure no more lives are lost to the Human Elephant Conflict by implementing reliable, secure, ecofriendly, and low-cost HEC mitigation methods, which create maximum deterrence from elephants, whilst ensuring the safety of wild elephants, people, and their properties.

To celebrate World Elephant Day on 12 August 2021 and to celebrate this majestic species we are privileged to share our land with, the Human-elephant Coexistence Subcommittee of the WNPS together with Spa Ceylon will be running a photography competition from 10 July - 5 August 2021.

Titled ‘For the Sri Lankan Elephant’, the competition will focus on celebrating this unique species while using the platform to draw attention to the unique challenges of the Human-elephant Conflict.