Wild life experts lock horns over baby elephant transfers

As controversy surrounded preparations to transfer two “babies” from the Elephant Transit Home (ETH) at Uda Walawe to the Pinnawela Orphanage, opinion among activists was divided whether this was a good or bad move.

“We are hoping to move ‘Atlas’ and another baby elephant from ETH to Pinnawela on Sunday (today) or this week,” said W.A.D.A. Wijesooriya, Director-General of the Department of Wild Life Conservation (DWLC), when contacted by The Sunday Times.

When asked whether the transfer was to ensure that foreign tourists could see babies being bottle-fed milk at Pinnawela as alleged by conservationists, the Director-General was quick to reject it, saying that the ETH was overcrowded. “Whereas there should only be about 20-25 elephants there, we have about 35,” he said.

Even Uda Walawe Park capacity is an issue, was his contention. A recent survey had found that the 30,000-hectare park had 700 elephants of which 400 were adults and in the northern part last year bull elephants had killed two people and destroyed crops, the DG said.

Baby elephants being fed at the Uda Walawe transit home

So, more releases into the wild would mean less space for them and more forays into villages, resulting in human-elephant conflicts, was the DG’s view which was also echoed by some conservationists.

However, other wildlife experts who wished to remain anonymous claimed that the transfer was just to “give pleasure to foreigners” in seeing babies being bottle-fed. “At present, the babies at Pinnawela are under-fed by their mothers, which in itself is a wonderful sight, as happens only in the wild,” one activist pointed out. “That should be promoted among tourists”.

Asked whether it was right to move two baby elephants meant for release to the wilds to an orphanage where they would have to lead a captive life, though in relative freedom unlike a zoo, DG Wijesooriya said that although ‘Atlas’ had been reintroduced to the wild, he had returned to ETH. The other baby which was already in the wild was “going into villages on the eastern part of the park and there was a likelihood of it facing some harm from humans”.

A third earmarked for Pinnawela was frequenting the Habarana-Minneriya Road and people were feeding it. “We are hoping to capture it and take it to Pinnawela,” he said.

However, other sources were adamant that no baby reintroduced to the wild was going into any villages. One source said the department was trying to find lame excuses to justify its whims.

With regard to ‘Atlas’, The Sunday Times understands that a special “re-integration plan” to the wild has been drawn up. But when asked Mr. Wijesooriya denied knowledge of such a plan.

While some activists argued that like at Pinnawela, even at ETH babies came into human contact and could one day go into villages because they were used to humans, wildlife officials said the contact was minimal. “Yes, these babies which have been abandoned, when brought to ETH have to be bottle-fed and later funnel-fed,” said an official, explaining that the moment they are weaned they are sent into the wild.” The babies are also not tethered with chains attached to their legs at night but tied with rope around their necks. To concerns about the monitoring of freed babies, a source explained that radio collars are fixed when they are released. “Records indicate integration with wild herds without a problem,” the source said.

With The Sunday Times getting information that the babies were to be moved from Uda Walawe to Pinnawela at a ceremony most-probably attended by Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka himself, the questions that arise are: What is the mandate of the much-commended and unique ETH? On what grounds are so-called “foster parents” or sponsors mobilized to pay for the babies? If the babies are being looked after at ETH to be freed to the wild, is it right for them to be shunted here and there?

Serious issues need serious answers after due discussion by the DWLC in consultation with the experts, including those who look after the elephants at Uda Walawe, Pinnawela and the Zoo.