Experts have blamed the phenomenon on a “human-animal conflict” and “inadequate” conservation efforts.
“Sri Lanka has recorded the highest number of elephants deaths in the world. This year, there were 409 elephants and 121 human deaths, respectively,” Dr. Prithviraj Fernando, a renowned elephant expert and head of the Center for Conservation and Research of Elephants, told Arab News.
He added that the death toll underwent a “drastic increase” from last year, when Sri Lanka reported 315 elephant deaths and 95 human deaths.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation C. B. Rathnayake said that he was “determined to put an end to the crisis.”