Measures underway to prevent elephants from consuming polythene

COLOMBO (News 1st): Measures are underway to broaden the initiatives followed to prevent elephants from consuming polythene, M.K. Bandula Harischandra, the Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation said on Monday (Nov. 30). Elephants consuming polythene as a result of garbage collecting in and surrounding forest reserves due to poor waste management in many districts has been a long-term issue concerning the safety of wildlife in Sri Lanka. The Department of Wildlife Conservation has identified 54 locations where elephants consume polythene, a statement issued via the Department of Government Information read. According to the statement, the Department of Wildlife has so far managed to reduce the number of such locations to 15 and of that managed to cover nine locations in a manner that elephants can no longer enter. Furthermore, measures are underway to prevent elephants from reaching the garbage dumps in Addalachchenai and Buddhangala in Ampara by erecting elephant fences. The Department of Wildlife Conservation is hopeful the remaining four locations could also be protected by 2021, preventing the entrance of elephants, the statement further read. The Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation has also instructed District Secretaries to take necessary measures to better manage the waste disposal procedures in the areas.