COLOMBO (News 1st); Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the Secretary of the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation to take steps to remove the wild elephant from the list of wild animals that damages crops.

The Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation stated that 40% of annual crop damage is caused by wild animals.

Among them, it has been revealed that the crop damage caused by the wild elephant is the least, which is only 20%.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that about 46% crop damage is caused by wild boars, monkeys, peacocks, wild boars and sloths.

The number of wild elephant deaths reported in 2021 and 2022 is 511.

According to the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, 181 people have lost their lives due to the elephant-human conflict as well.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that although the population of wild elephants has not increased greatly, there is a chance that wild elephants population may be reduced due to the elephant-human conflict in the country.

Therefore, the minister has advised officials to let wild elephants to continue to remain on the protected wild animals list.

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