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Jumbo transit location hit by shortage of vets
The lack of veterinary surgeons is hampering the operations at the Ath Athuru Sevana, elephant transit location, in Uda Walawe, a key trade union representing veterinary surgeons said.
Dr Suhada Jayawardena, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Veterinary Surgeons’ Association said that currently there were 59 baby elephants including 14 who had been transferred there following court orders, but there was only one veterinary surgeon.
“There are only nine veterinary surgeons for the Wildlife Department. We do not take care only of the elephants as other animals too need to be cared for”, he said.
His comments came after a baby elephant which workers in the Hambantota port rescued with great difficulty, died on Wednesday.
The rescue operation of the elephant drew international attention after it showed the effort the workers made.
Wildlife department sources said that the baby elephant who was being treated for its wounds had fallen ill on June 17, but there was no veterinary surgeon to treat the animal.
The veterinary surgeon on duty had been summoned for another duty on the instructions of the Wildlife Ministry. .