Dilrook Kannangara

The island cannot sustain the entire human and animal population it currently has. It is an undeniable fact. The only solution is to cull the most damaging animals to its food security and economic activity. There isn’t enough food to go around for all. Unless humans are protected from hunger, malnutrition, under development and resultant health and economic calamities, Sri Lanka has no future in any human pursuit. Prolonged droughts and other natural disasters are only going to be more frequent and more devastating as global temperatures rise. An immediate cull of elephants, monkeys, giant squirrels and peacocks to sustainable levels can save at least 45% of food crop that is wasted by these animals. It is a huge boost to national food supply and it can reduce dependence on food imports too.

Other nations cull their animals to save their food supply so that those nations will not fall victim to hunger and foreign manipulation through food and funds. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka’s fat-belly politicians, well-fed intellectuals with low common sense, religious extremists and fat cat officials try to achieve other worldly bliss at the expense of the nation and do not support these moves. They can privately do meritorious deeds at their own expense. Let the nation and its most vulnerable people survive.

Like it or not, similar to almost all nations today the Sri Lankan Constitution awards fundamental rights only to humans and not to animals. Therefore, it is not the man who should be curtailed but animals.

One reason for the surge in the number of these animals is the destruction of forests and killing predators. Blame can be passed but deforestation cannot and will not be reversed. The number of animals the existing forest cover can sustain should be determined and the rest must be culled. Otherwise, human-animal conflict and hunger are going to kill both of these groups anyway. Only difference is it will be a far more painful death.

Natural predators including leopards and bears have been killed in large numbers over the years. This too contributed to the increase in monkeys, peacocks, giant squirrels and other animals.

In addition to agricultural pests, stray dogs and cats must also be culled. They too carry disease and contribute to pollution. Sri Lanka is unfortunately still grappling with rabies despite being an island.

Culling can also save carbon emissions benefiting the entire world.

If it is not done, more Sri Lankans will go hungry, conflicts between man and animal and man and man will worsen with deaths on both sides, food will have to be imported and multiple economic crises will worsen. A pragmatic and modern approach is needed for the nation to survive. Hope the rulers have the bests interests of Sri Lanka at heart and not religious dogma. They earn no merit for the next world or life by starving 22 million people. It is a sin and a crime bigger than culling pests.