SOME STATISTICS AND TRENDS OF ELEPHANT KILLINGS IN 2016.

SOME STATISTICS AND TRENDS OF ELEPHANT KILLINGS IN 2016.

            The statistics of elephants casualties given here are those collected from the daily news telecasts of one stateTV channel. The full numbers with all relevant details, are only available with the Department of Wild Life , but they are 'closely guarded secrets.'  The numbers given  here are certainly not the complete casualty figures for 2016 for the island or even for a district. However, they are an indication of the modus operandi of the killing of elephants by farmers in the Island.

1.      Electrocutions by the abuse of the 230 volt Domestic Supply.

No of Deaths - 11

Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
January Date not certain	Polonnaruwa	Welikanda	Young Elephant	01
January 16th	Mannar	Vellankulam	Adult male body partly burnt with tyres by the criminal	01
January 26th	Ampara or Polonnaruwa	Dehiattakandiyaor Giritale	25 year old tusker. Buddhist priests conducted religious rites at burial	01
January 30th	Polonnaruwa	Near Flood Plain NP	One 27 year old elephant	01
February 05th	Trincomalee	Seruwavila	1 person taken to custody	01
May 8th	Anuradhapura	Mahvilachchiya	4 died (2 baby tuskers) juvenile + 15 year old adult	04
August 23rd	Kandy	Outside VRR NP	1 Adult died	01
December 21st	Polonnaruwa	Kottapitiya	1 died, culprit evading arrest	01

2.      Deaths and injuries to elephants by shooting in 2016.

Fate of injured elephants uncertain as there  was no follow up.
Total of Deaths - 5
Total of Shootings -12

Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
February  10th	Matale	Digampatana	Trap gun- leg badly damaged. treated by Vets No follow up
February  20th	Polonnaruwa	Maduruoya	Injured elephant staying in water of Maduoya reservoir.  No follow up.
February 23rd	Polonnaruwa	Giritale	Instant death.	01
February 29th	Polonnaruwa	Maduru oya	Elephant with multiple gun shot injuries treated and translocated.   No follow up
February 13th	Polonnaruwa	Maduru oya	Elephant with gunshot wounds in Maduru oya tank with water up to eye level. Brought to land on 29th treated and taken to  Minneriya Giritale sanctuary . No follow up .
April 6th	Puttalam	Tabbowa	Adult  elephant died farmer suspected.	01
June 21st	Polonnaruwa	Welikanda (SandagalatennaNear Somawathy NP)	46 year old elephant died. Gun and culprit taken to custody.	01
June 26th	Polonnaruwa	Welikanda	9' tall elephant died Shot on  road side as elephant was leaving the Somawathy NP	01
February 24th	Puttalam	A tank in Puttalam area	Tusker with leg injuries. In tank with water up to level or of ears.  No follow up
Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
August 16th	Polonnaruwa	Somawathy NP	Tusker shot in leg. Unable to move. Treated by vets. No follow up
September 3rd	Matale	Sigiriya Forest Reservation	Adult Elephant. Paddy encroachment  inside the Sigiriya Wild life Reservation	01
October 7th	Polonnaruwa	In a tank	Elephant found in tank with gunshot injuries, Wild life Dept finding it difficult to get elephant on land for treatment. No follow up.

3.      Deaths of elephants due to train collisions

Total of Deaths - 8

Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
January 8th	Polonnaruwa	Between Minneriya and Hingurakgoda	9' tall, 36 year old elephant. All four legs broken. Nightmail from Batticola to Colombo	01
May 25th	Polonnaruwa	Manampitiya	Nightmail from Batticoloa to Colombo	01
July 7th	Polonnaruwa	Hingurakgoda	All four legs broken and thrown into a villu.	01
August 10th	Polonnaruwa	Location not clear	Train collides on she elephant and calf - Mother dies of Calf, injured badly. No follow up.	01
August 17th	Vavuniya	Between Cheddikulam and Madustation.	All of same herd 2 baby tuskers, 1 calf , adult male. Manner to Colombo Night mail at 257th Mile post	04

4.      Deaths and injuries due to motor vehicle collisions. .
No. of Collisions -           5
No. of Deaths      -           3

Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
February 9th	Polonnaruwa	Maduru oya	Lorry collides on. 10 year old elephant died. Instant death	01
February 29th	Polonnaruwa	Maduru oya	4 year old calf injured by vehicle collision. Treated by vets and released to the Minneriya NP
March 18th	Polonnaruwa	Polonnaruwa Habarana bus route	3-4' tall calf knocked down by bus, leg damaged. Treated by vets and released to the Minneriya Giritale Sanctuary.
May 1st	Polonnaruwa	Polonnaruwa Habarana  road	Van knocks down mother and calf. Mother died.	01
May 29th	Matale	Dambulla	Lorry at high speed knocks down 8 month old calf with its mother. Instant death of  calf Mother turns violent Driver apprehended by police.	01

5.      Deaths and injuries due to " Hakka Patas" (Food baited with bombs) blasts in mouth.

No. of Deaths      -           3

Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
February 10th	Trincomalee	Kantale	2 Elephants died.	02
April - 28th	Polonnaruwa	Giritale	Elephants mouth badly damaged by blast.	01

6.      Deaths and injuries to elephants by falling in to Agricultural wells.

No. of accident reported           -           6
No. of Deaths                              -           3

Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
April 27th	Polonnaruwa	House on Habarana Road.	Elephant had fallen into a well at night Police and Wild life dept. used Backhoe and saved the elephant.
July 15th	Puttlam	Karuwalagaswewa	Adult elephant had fallen into an agric well and was unable to get upa as legs had broken.	01
July 31st	Monaragala	Demliya	Mother and calf had fallen into well. Mother saved but the calf died.	01
October 14th	Polonnaruwa	Habarana	Calf had fallen into an agricultured well and died mother agitated and violent , had  smashed a motor cycle.	01
October 09th	Polonnaruwa	Diganpatana area	Elephant which had falleen into an agric well Detected only after 3 days - saved.
November 10th	Polonnaruwa	Somawathy NP at Diyabeduma area	Adult elephant had fallen into an agric well. Rescued.

7.      Deaths to elephants due to nooses. 

No. of detected                           -           2
No. of Deaths                              -           2

Month - Date	District	Location	Details	Deaths
May 14th	Hambantota	Hambantota Forest	5 month old calf in forest, dead when discovered	01
June 23rd	Trincomalee	Kuchchiveli	Elephant with badly infected foot due to noose. Verdict given by vets	01

 

                                                                                             Yasantha De Silva

                                                                                                     B.Sc. (Agriculture)