44 elephants shot dead in Sri Lanka in 2025

Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife Conservation has raised serious concerns over the rising number of elephant deaths this year, revealing that 44 elephants have been shot and killed so far in 2025.

The number highlights the ongoing human-elephant conflict and illegal killings. In 2024, a total of 84 elephants were killed by gunfire, showing that the deadly trend continues.

According to Wildlife Director General Ranjan Marasinghe, 245 elephants have died this year due to various causes. Among them, 38 were electrocuted and 13 were hit by trains. The total elephant death toll for 2024 stood at 388.

In response to the growing crisis, the Ministry of Environment has launched a special action plan to protect the country’s wild elephant population. This includes measures to safeguard famous elephants like Kavantissa.

Environment Minister Dr. Dhammika Pattabendi said that wildlife officers have been deployed to monitor Kavantissa, who is currently roaming near the Galgamuwa area.

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