Elephant travails

Last week it was confirmed after a post mortem that the elephants who died in the Hiriwandunna Thambaikulam Reserve were poisoned. It is still to be determined whether this poisoning was deliberate or accidental. Whatever the final verdict will be, there is no doubt that elephants are being decimated by:

(a) deliberately killing – in self-defence or to chase them away from human habitats and cultivations or to collect ivory or even elephants skins, hair, jaw

(b) accidental deaths such as collisions with trains or large vehicles;

(c) accidental deaths by poisoning or by eating plastic and human waste;

(d) death by diseases such as diabetes by humans feeding elephants with too much fruits etc and animals not having sufficient exercise as their natural habitats are constantly being eroded by human settlements.

 On Saturday October 12, 2019 a Tree Planting Project commenced in the Morakanda area of Habarana in collaboration with the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment and the Department of Forest Conservation. This raised concerns among animal welfare activists because they were cutting down thriving mature shrub jungle which was home to elephants and other species of wildlife.
As the founder of the Randi Foundation (A Strong Voice for Animal Welfare), I personally went to the site on Saturday morning to see at first hand what was happening.

 This de marked areas that have been designated for the Tree Planting Project have mature shrub jungles that is the natural habitat for elephants, deer and other species of wild life.

There were clear signage put up by the Department of Wildlife Conservation to warn the members of public that wild animals are in these mature shrub jungle areas.

Now part of the same thriving shrub jungle approximately 100 hectares has been  assigned  to bank under the “Wana Ropa National Tree Plantation Programme“ to sponsor monetarily 80,000 saplings and to take part in the Tree Planting Programme  under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena  with the participation of Ajith Mannapperuma State Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment.

Part of the same 100 hectares of thriving shrub jungle had been cleared as part of the first stage to inaugurate the Tree Planting Ceremony,  I believe by the Department of Forestry Conservation before October 12,  2019. I believe they were expecting to plant around 3,000 trees on October 12, 2019.

 By clearing mature shrub jungles where the elephants, deer and other wild animals are using as their natural habitat, there is a great possibility that they will be displaced from their habitat. This is clearly unacceptable.

This act in my belief will victimize the wild animals and displace them because we are interfering with their environment/habitat which they have designated as their Core / Home Range and adapted over a long period of time.

When we interfere with their environment/ habitat, we leave them open to extreme acts of cruelty by third parties who take the upper hand as they are voiceless and further victimizes the victim, in this case, the wild animals two-fold.

Such displacements will create further animal-human conflicts.
The Stark reality is that the fate of wildlife lies mainly in the hands of those who live with it daily.
Conservation efforts that fail to acknowledge the rights of such people and help them to live safely alongside wild animals and other animals will create a man-made conflict between us and the animals and where  both parties emerge as losers.”

Furthermore, their breeding patterns and behaviour will also be interfered with. Thus the good that is sought to be done by planting trees will be outweighed by the affectation to the wild animals.

Who is going to be responsible for the safety of our wildlife that is living and using the shrub jungle as their habitat is replanted is the main question posed to all quarters which has taken this project on by the Randi Foundation?

 What guarantee and assurances been given to protect any wildlife from been harmed by third parties when the saplings are damaged by them and they invade other quarters in the village?

 We, Sri Lankans, have Failed Our Elephants and other wildlife if we don’t consider them as “Human Companions” and incorporate them in our decision making.

We must protect these Giants and other species of wild life that live amongst us.

RANDI FOUNDATION A STRONG VOICE FOR ANIMAL WELFARE STRONGLY BELIEVE IT IS A SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THESE WILD ANIMALS.

 To achieve this goal, we must change our ATTITUDES and build a united social bridge between Us and the Wild Animals and extend the Five Principles of Freedom to our wild animals

 Five Principles of Freedom
Freedom from hunger and thirst 
Freedom from discomfort and pain     
Freedom from wonton injury and pain
Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom to express normal behaviour

 Please be apart of RANDI Foundation Neighbourhood Watch Initiative
Neighbourhood Watch - Prevent animals been harmed - the Basic principle is to look around you and listen out to the cries of abuse and cruelty to wild animals or any other animals around you.

Then empower your voice and report to the Police 119 or your local police  / Wildlife Department and Livestock Department.

Why wait until harm comes to our wild animals or any other animals..!

Immortal words of Immanuel Kant
“We can  judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals”

Chrishanti Perera
Founder Member of
Randi Foundation
A Strong Voice For Animal Welfare