Of the fatalities, 71 elephants were shot, 56 electrocuted, 46 killed in train accidents, and 20 succumbed to hakka patas explosives. Additional deaths resulted from poisoning, drowning, and accidents involving abandoned wells.
Regionally, the Eastern Wildlife Region recorded the highest number of deaths at 82, followed by Anuradhapura with 77 and Polonnaruwa with 69.
The DWC has urged communities to adopt safety measures and follow guidelines to mitigate human-elephant conflicts, emphasizing the urgent need for coexistence strategies to protect the country’s elephant population.
