Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for urgent state action to halt elephant killings following the death of the prominent tusker Kavantissa.
Speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change in Colombo, the opposition leader declared that the loss of the tusker must mark an end to the country's ongoing human-elephant conflict.
Premadasa urged authorities to treat Kawanthissa’s death as a deliberate killing rather than an isolated accident.
He said that elephants and tuskers form an integral part of Sri Lanka's national and cultural heritage and must be safeguarded under a dedicated protection scheme.
To address systemic failures, the opposition leader proposed a national land-use plan, a people-centred environmental protection framework, and a specialized conservation strategy tailored specifically to elephants.
He highlighted severe shortages of physical resources and personnel within the Department of Wildlife Conservation, calling for immediate state funding to strengthen field operations.
Expressing concern over the dwindling population of large-tusked elephants, Premadasa called for formal investigations into the trend.
He advocated setting up a dedicated emergency hotline for citizens to report sick or injured tuskers, alongside closer collaboration between state wildlife officials and animal welfare organizations.
To assist medical care, the parliamentary forum offered to supply multi-parameter monitors to veterinarians treating wild elephants.
Premadasa also urged the involvement of civil society groups and grassroots activists to bolster monitoring efforts nationwide.
On broader climate challenges, he recommended launching community-level awareness campaigns across all Grama Niladhari divisions to educate the public on the risks of El Niño and La Niña weather patterns.
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