Villagers living in fear of wild elephant attacks

Residents in several areas including Tempitiya, Niloba, Bogamuyaya, Pulawala, Borapola and Samagipura in the Mahaoya Division are living in fear of attacks by wild elephants.

They said a herd of wild elephants which stray into the villages at dusk have caused havoc, destroying cultivated land, home garden crops and damaged houses.

Villagers said the wild elephants remained till the following morning destroying cultivated land and pulling down the walls of houses. They said about 100 houses had been destroyed last year and about 30 this year.

The villagers said the herd had destroyed coconut trees, sugarcane and banana cultivation and mango trees.

Mahaoya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Indika Nilantha Gunawardene said civilian life in the area had been disrupted by the wild elephants that raided the villages at dusk. He said two men living in Nillamba had been trampled to death by wild elephants recently while five others were seriously injured when the elephants had attacked them. He said people who depend on agriculture were the worst affected and that the steps taken by the Wildlife Conservation Department had failed to resolve this matter.

Meanwhile, Ampara District Assistant Director of Wildlife Conservation, H.G. Wickremetilleka said Ampara District is one of the worst affected by wild elephant attacks and that the department had taken several steps using the limited resources to provide relief to the people.