KAMALIKA PIERIS

revised 12.10.21

When British rule ended and Sri Lanka became independent, the elephant regained its position as an important animal in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) was recognized as one of three subspecies of the Asian elephant and native to Sri Lanka.

The elephant became a protected animal, once again. This time to prevent the species from dying out. The Fauna and Flora Protection Act 1970 said that no one could kill an       elephant.  If anybody killed an elephant he was liable for fine, imprisonment or both. No wild elephant can be captured, except by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and that too only if the elephant was dangerous. The captured elephants were released to a wildlife reserve.[1] 

A survey conducted by the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1994 found that there were 52 percent adults, 22 percent sub-adults and 26 percent juveniles. This is a healthy population structure and augurs well for the future of the elephant in the wild provided there is sufficient habitat said Jayantha Jayawardena (citing Hendawitharana et al., 1994). [2]  A large number of newly born babies were seen in 2001. [3] A survey conducted by the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 2011 – 12, concluded that there are approximately 6000 elephants in the wild.[4]

However, the elephant is no longer living in its own habitat in the natural forest as in ancient times. That forest has disappeared. The elephant was now living in state reserves. They are at Wilpattu, Yala, Gal Oya, Maduru oya, Victoria- Randenigala, Somawathiya, Wasgomuwa, Uda Walawa, Peak wilderness, Flood plains, Sinharaja, Minneriya and Bundala.[5] In 2003 these reserves held a total of 1700 to 2100 elephants. [6]

The elephants do not always stay in the reserves. There is the ‘Minneriya Gathering”. Every year, July to September elephants herds congregate around the Minneriya reservoir, where grasses are rich and fertile. The elephants come from areas beyond the reservoir and herds with numbers as large as 300 ~ 400 can be seen.  They come in small herds, usually family groups of elephants under a matriarch. They   come together in search of water, an infusion of minerals and to ensure regeneration of the species. [7] The elephants then migrate to Kaudulla National Park from October to November and move to Hurulu Eco Park for the final leg of their migration from December to January. [8]

Ashley de Vos also observed that elephants have now started to go up the southern highland plateau. This is shown in the elephant sightings at Poonagala, Millennium point, Koslanda, Randeligala. Kanneliya, Adam’s Peak, places entered from the steep Koslanda hills. [9] It may be possible to recreate the forest landscape, in highlands being abandoned by the tea industry, and give back to the elephants their lost habitat, he said. [10]

The trained domesticated elephant also comes from the wild population. Wild herds are the primary source. It has traditionally been much cheaper, easier and more efficient to catch elephants in the forest and train them than to allow adult elephants to breed and wait 22 months for a calf to born and wait an additional 10 years for the calf to grow to working size. [11]

An elephant out of commission during the 22 month gestation period and two years of nursing as not a very profitable elephant. [12]  Also working elephants rarely breed in captivity. [13] One reason they don’t reproduce well is because they are too tired. [14]

The  Asian elephant is  very  trainable[15]   it is highly intelligent and Sri Lanka  has a long history of training elephants .Captive elephants readily adapt to commands from humans because elephants in the wild live in hierarchal groups and are used to taking orders from other elephants,  said specialists . [16]

But when an elephant is on its own it needs further training and disciplining to make it obey many more commands. [17]Training takes six months to a year and the elephants learn about 30 commands. [18] At least once a day the elephants were carefully taken to the river for a bath. The mahouts talk to them constantly and sing them lullabies during their feeding and bathing time.[19]

Elephants that are kept in captivity are mainly fed on kitul, coconut, jak, Erythrina species, and bo (Ficus religiosa). Elephants also eat, depending on availability, pota wel (Pothos scandens), gonna (Ficus callosa), palu (Manilkara hexandra), nuga (Ficus benghalensis), na (Mesua ferrea), attikka (Ficus racemosa), agal adara (Adhatoda vasica), budeliya (Tetracera sarmentosa) and erabudu (Erythrina lithosperma). Banana (Musa spp.) is also consumed when available (Godagama, 1996) [20]

Most of the districts in which there are tame elephants do not have any wild elephant habitats. But because the food of the tame elephant is entirely different from that of the wild ones, the lack of jungles is not a problem for elephant owners when looking for food for their elephants.[21]

Trained elephants are used for haulage. A mature bull Asian elephant can carry 600 pounds with its trunk and tusks and pull loads of 9,000 pounds with a harness. [22]

Elephants are used in the timber industry to uproot trees. They drag logs and load them onto lorries. [23]  They can also guide log accurately into streams. [24] At the timber yard or saw mill the elephants unload the logs off the lorry and stack them. They are hired sometimes by the estates to haul   onto the road the trees that have been felled for use as firewood and timber. [25]

Elephants are   ideal   for forest operations. they don’t trample the forest and damage young trees. They are the perfect vehicle for selective cutting. [26] Mechanized logging causes ten times more damage in local forests. [27]  They can work in terrain inaccessible to vehicles.  [28]  Since tractors and other machinery can do this work faster. [29] it is only in difficult and inaccessible terrain that elephants are needed today. [30]

In Sri Lanka, logging elephants work 15-20 days per month. [31] Elephants work for half a day, generally for five to six hours. During the other half of the day they are rested and bathed. [32] Then they are fed. [33] Females are preferred for work because they are more compliant. [34]

Elephants are  also used to carry steel girders used for roofs. They carry bags of sand from the rivers on to the road. Metal from stone quarries is brought to the road by elephants. [35] ( continued)

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[1] he History and Value of the Elephant in
Sri Lankan Society by Ranjith Bandara and Clem Tisdell November 2005

[2] The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[3] The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[4] ashley

[5] Wikipedia.

[6] Department of Wildlife Conservation. 2003.

[7] ashleyl

[8] taken from tourist items on gtoogle

[9] ashley

[10] ashley

[11] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[12] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[13] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[14] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[15] me

[16] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[17] The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[18] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[19] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[20] The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[21] Jayantha J http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[22] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[23]he care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm Giants on Our Hands: Proceedings of the International Workshop on the Domesticated Asian Elephant bANGKOK,  2001

[24] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[25]he care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm Giants on Our Hands: Proceedings of the International Workshop on the Domesticated Asian Elephant bANGKOK,  2001

[26] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[27]he care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm.( Jayasekere et al., 1995)

[28] https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat68/sub431/item2469.html

[29] The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[30] The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[31]he care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[32] The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm

[33] Ashoka Dangolla and Indira Silva The Status and Veterinary Problems in Captive Elephants Sri Lanka Sri Lanka2021  htps://www.aserc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=61

[34] Ashoka Dangolla and Indira Silva The Status and Veterinary Problems in Captive Elephants Sri Lanka Sri Lanka2021  htps://www.aserc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=61

[35]he care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Sri Lanka – Jayantha Jayewardene http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e09.htm