On August 17, 2023, Sri Lanka began a crucial task — the first elephant census conducted since 2011. As the island nation grapples with growing human-elephant conflict, understanding its elephant population is vital for future conservation and management efforts. This elephant census, while aimed at gathering critical data, comes amidst a series of challenges, including unpredictable weather and rising concerns over potential political misuse of the results.
Sri Lanka’s elephants are more than just majestic animals. They are an integral part of the country’s culture, ecosystem, and identity. However, the conflict between elephants and humans, mainly due to habitat encroachment, has escalated in recent years. This count is not merely about understanding the number of elephants but gaining insights into the dynamics of their population and the challenges they face.
The Census: An Extensive National Effort
Carrying out a comprehensive elephant census is no small feat. The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), along with nearly 8,000 volunteers, embarked on a challenging three-day task to observe and record Sri Lanka’s elephant population. Volunteers were dispatched to remote areas across the island, armed with observation tools, data sheets, and rations to sustain them for the weekend. Their mission: to count elephants at various waterholes, where these giants often congregate, especially during the driest month of the year, August.
The process employed a method known as waterhole counting, a technique first introduced to Sri Lanka in 1992 by the late Charles Santiapillai, an internationally recognized elephant conservationist. This approach, which counts elephants as they visit water sources, offers a rough estimate of the population based on the assumption that most elephants need to quench their thirst at these watering holes.
According to Chandana Sooriyabandara, Director-General of the DWC, August is an optimal month for such a survey. “The dry season drives elephants to water sources, and we can observe them in large numbers,” he explained. Approximately 3,130 water sources were identified as key monitoring points, where teams of volunteers, equipped with binoculars and tally sheets, observed the elephants as they came to drink.
Challenges Posed by Rain and External Conditions
However, Mother Nature had other plans. Although August is typically the driest month, this year’s unseasonal rains posed a significant challenge. Puddles formed across the island, offering elephants additional water sources outside of the designated counting zones. The same issue had forced the cancellation of a planned count in 2019, and many worried it would hinder this year’s results as well.
Despite these complications, the Department of Wildlife Conservation deemed the survey a success. Sooriyabandara expressed optimism, noting that the data would take at least a month to analyze fully. “While some areas experienced heavy rains, we still believe the overall results will provide valuable insights,” he added.
The last elephant census in 2011 revealed a population of 5,879 elephants, with key habitats identified in the North Central, Eastern, and Northern provinces. This year’s survey will provide a critical opportunity to compare data, evaluate demographic trends, and assess changes in elephant populations over the past decade.
Controversies Surrounding the Waterhole Counting Method
As with many large-scale wildlife surveys, the waterhole counting method is not without its critics. Some conservationists argue that this approach does not provide a fully accurate count, as not all elephants may visit the monitored waterholes. Some may prefer rivers or other water sources that aren’t part of the observation grid, potentially skewing the data. This raises the question: How reliable is this census in painting a complete picture of Sri Lanka’s elephant population?
Dr. Shanmugasundaram Wijeyamohan, a renowned expert from the University of Vavuniya, acknowledges these limitations. “Every method of counting elephants has its drawbacks,” he explained. “In Africa, where savanna elephants roam vast open spaces, aerial monitoring provides a clearer picture. But Sri Lanka’s dense forests make that impossible.”
Another alternative, the dung-count method, which estimates elephant populations based on droppings along predefined paths, has been suggested by some experts. However, this method also lacks the ability to provide demographic data, such as age and gender breakdowns, which are crucial for understanding population dynamics.
While the 2011 census offered valuable insights, including a male-to-female ratio of 1:3 and a healthy percentage of calves in the population, the 2023 census could reveal shifts in these ratios, which are just as important as the overall population count. “We must look beyond the numbers and examine population composition,” Wijeyamohan noted. “Understanding changes in the number of males, females, and calves is essential for ensuring a sustainable future for Sri Lanka’s elephants.”
The Human-Elephant Conflict: A Growing Crisis
One of the primary threats facing elephants in Sri Lanka is the ongoing human-elephant conflict. The situation has escalated since the 2011 count, with approximately 4,000 elephants losing their lives in the past decade due to conflicts with humans. As human populations expand and encroach on elephant habitats, these majestic animals often raid farms and villages in search of food, leading to deadly confrontations.
Elephant biologist Prithiviraj Fernando has long studied this phenomenon and warns that the issue is not simply about counting elephants but understanding their movements and behavior. “Elephants are highly intelligent, social creatures, and their interactions with humans are becoming more frequent as their natural habitats shrink,” he explained. “The census is one tool for understanding the problem, but it won’t solve the conflict on its own.”
Fernando’s own research has highlighted the vast range of elephants in Sri Lanka, with 70% of their territory overlapping with human settlements. His studies, which break the country into 25-square-kilometer grids, reveal that elephants roam across 60% of Sri Lanka, creating a difficult situation for conservationists and local communities alike.
To reduce the human-elephant conflict, experts argue that more comprehensive measures are needed. These could include better land-use planning, creating elephant corridors, and improving the infrastructure for electric fences that keep elephants out of farmlands. However, the implementation of these strategies requires political will and substantial financial investment.
A Controversial Agenda?
Adding to the tension, environmentalists fear the results of the 2023 census could be misused for political purposes. In 2011, the census controversially recorded data on the types of tusks observed on elephants, a practice that drew criticism from conservationists. Some feared this information could be used to identify elephants for capture and exploitation, especially since owning an elephant, particularly a tusker, is considered a status symbol in Sri Lanka. This practice has deep cultural roots, with elephants often paraded in religious processions.
Such fears have resurfaced this year, as Jagath Priyankara, a Sri Lankan parliamentarian, has called for reducing the elephant population to address human-elephant conflict. Priyankara’s proposals include exporting elephants to foreign countries and capturing them for training and captivity, sparking outrage among conservation groups.
A higher elephant count in 2023 could give ammunition to those pushing for more aggressive measures, including the capture and removal of elephants from certain areas. Environmentalists argue that any decision to reduce the population must be based on careful scientific analysis and should not compromise the long-term survival of Sri Lanka’s elephants.
What’s Next for Sri Lanka’s Elephants?
As Sri Lanka awaits the results of this historic census, the future of its elephant population hangs in the balance. Conservation efforts must navigate a complex web of challenges, including habitat loss, human conflict, and political pressures. The elephant census is just one piece of the puzzle, providing valuable data that, if used wisely, can inform more effective conservation and management strategies.
However, the census must be coupled with ongoing research, community engagement, and long-term policy changes to address the root causes of the human-elephant conflict. Conservationists hope that this census will serve as a wake-up call, emphasizing the need for stronger protections for one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic species.
In the coming months, as the results of the 2023 survey are analyzed, the world will be watching to see how Sri Lanka manages the delicate balance between conserving its elephants and addressing the legitimate concerns of human communities. The future of the island’s elephant population depends not only on the numbers but on the decisions that follow.
