I was helpless in protecting elephants: Ishini

Ishini Wickremesinghe

Sharing a post on Facebook, Ishini Wickremasinghe who resigned from the post of Director-general of the Department of National Zoological Gardens said yesterday she was helpless in protecting elephants being forcibly taken away from Pinnawala.

‘Sri Devi’ is a very loving and affectionate elephant in Pinnawela. I was helpless in protecting her and the other elephants being forcibly taken away from Pinnawala, Ishini said in her Facebook post.

Ishini Wickremesinghe has reportedly resigned from the post of Director-general of the Department of National Zoological Gardens in protest to returning illegally captured elephants to the alleged smugglers.

Sharing a video on Facebook, the elephants being loaded onto the trucks at Pinnawala, Ishini said it was an act of taking away their freedom.“what cruelty it is to take away their freedom for one’s individual interests,” Ishini added.

(Source: Daily Mirror – By Lakmal Sooriyagoda)