The incumbent government has proposed several moves to mitigate the aggravating human-wildlife conflict, much to the dismay of wildlife conservationists who claim that these moves are both impractical and unscientific. Agriculture Minister K. D. Lalkantha came under scrutiny when he said that farmers are allowed to do anything to chase away animals that damage their crops. Already over 370 elephants have died due to the human-elephant conflict. Right now, toque macaques and monkeys have been made a pest in addition to peacocks and other animals. But conservationists opine that rather than ignoring them it’s best that the government implements a collaborative approach when seeking solutions to mitigate the human-wildlife conflict. 

Restoring natural habitats to protect the Sri Lankan leopard 
The Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) is an apex predator and one of their main ecosystem services is to strike a balance in the food web.  Leopards were frequently killed as a bycatch from snares while some poachers deliberately killed leopards due to the growing demand for body parts. In 2024, over 10 leopard deaths were reported and in each one of them, the leopards were killed due to anthropogenic reasons, further highlighting the need to continue conservation efforts. 

“Leopards, particularly the Sri Lankan leopard are a critical part of the island's biodiversity,” said Sethil Muhandiram, co-founder of Leopocon, a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the conservation of leopards in Sri Lanka. “As an apex predator, they play an essential role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. However, these majestic creatures face numerous threats, including habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict, which have led to their population decline. The expansion of human settlements and agricultural activities into leopard habitats, coupled with illegal hunting for their pelts and body parts, has placed the species at risk of further endangerment,” he added. 

Speaking about the future of leopards in Sri Lanka, Muhandiram said that conservation efforts must focus on protecting and restoring their natural habitats. “This includes establishing more wildlife corridors, improving the management of protected areas, and working closely with local communities to reduce human-leopard conflicts. Educating the public about the importance of leopards in maintaining ecological balance is also crucial.”

“In the New Year, I hope to see increased governmental and societal commitment to conservation. This can come in the form of stringent enforcement of anti-poaching laws, better habitat protection measures, and collaborations between conservationists, the government, and local communities. The success of these efforts is crucial not only for the survival of leopards but for the broader health of Sri Lanka's natural environment,” Muhandiram added. 

An appeal to save the remaining elephants
Sri Lanka is at a juncture where people are continuing to encroach into habitats that were once home to elephants and wildlife. As a result, people now treat elephants as a pest, resorting to any sort of tactic, mostly brutal and inhumane to keep elephants away from their settlements.  Statistics issued by the Udawalawe Elephant Research Centre reveal that Sri Lanka has lost over 4000 elephants over the past 14 years. In 2024, over 370 elephant deaths were recorded while 149 people have succumbed to the HEC.   

Elephant researchers observe that the so-called conflict between humans and elephants has aggravated mainly due to a lack of awareness and because there are no scientific solutions to mitigate the HEC. “The Sri Lankan elephant is an endemic species, unique to our country and therefore it has high economic, ecological and cultural value,” said Sameera Weerathunga of Udawalawe Elephant Research Centre. “Many elephants live in the dry zone of the country. Even though there are national parks, sanctuaries and corridors designated for elephants it is a known fact that over 70% of elephants now live outside protected areas in unprotected shrub forests. These unprotected shrub forests provide the most favourable environment for elephants to live in and they are also used for chena cultivation purposes.”

He further said that many of these lands come under the purview of the divisional secretariat, Forest Conservation Department or the Temple land registration ordinance. “Over the past few days, there have been various attempts such as elephant drives to chase away elephants. But all these attempts seem to be impractical. Firstly, the government should take a decision regarding the remaining forest cover in the country. They should assess the land use management policy and see how much of the land have become barren land and see if they can be regenerated or reforested.

They should then be brought under the purview of the Forest Conservation Department, elephant home ranges need to be established and these lands should be released to elephants. In addition, the buffer zones around national parks need to be reinstated and a population census within the dry zone is paramount to ensure the extent of human activities that could be done within these areas. The agriculture sector needs to be upgraded.”

“Going forward the government needs to have a national policy to ensure that both humans and elephants co-exist. There’s a National Action Plan on mitigating the HEC which was drafted in 2020 and this plan is good enough to be established as a national policy. In fact there’s no time to waste drafting more policies,” Weerathunga added.

He further said that the quality and quantity of elephant home ranges have deteriorated. “Therefore we need to ensure that they have enough fodder to feed on even within protected areas and they have a good habitat to live in. Elephants are a keystone species and we earn foreign exchange through wildlife tourism. Therefore there needs to be programmes to improve the quality and quantity of fodder and water at Udawalawe and Lunugamvehera national parks for instance.  This way it’ll bring down the conflict situation,” he added. 

Weerathunga suggested that illegal commercial projects currently underway at the Hambantota Managed Elephant Reserves and other protected areas need to be discontinued in order to mitigate the HEC in future. 

The future of bird habitats in Sri Lanka 
In November 2024, scientists concluded that the Slender Billed Curlew, a migratory shorebird that once bred in Western Siberia and wintered in the Mediterranean has officially become extinct.

According to Sampath Seneviratne, Professor in Zoology, Department of Zoology & Environment Sciences, University of Colombo over 60% of the global bird population has declined over the past 20 years. “Successive governments have various themes and concepts to strategize their five-year plans. Sometimes Sri Lanka is called the Centre of Asia, Wonder of Asia and so on. We are in fact the Centre of Asia from a cultural, trade, biodiversity and historic point of view. We are an island nation with a long history and we also have a rich biodiversity. Sri Lanka is one of the best birding destinations with over 35 endemic species and we are also part of the Central Asian flyway,” Prof. Seneviratne said. 

Even though farmers from rural areas consider large flocks of migratory birds to be pests, researchers believe that birds are good pest-controlling device. “No pesticide can compete with a good population of birds. Without birds, the agriculture industry cannot survive. Farmers cannot reap a good harvest if the environment is being destroyed. The government seems to not be aware of it. With more pesticides being given by the agriculture department it will only result in people going to hospitals and the government having to build more hospitals as they consume poison. The government will have to deal with a healthcare crisis. There are around 200,000 families that directly benefit from wildlife tourism. But if people intend to destroy migratory flyways to please some multinational companies, then all those families will suffer. This is the government’s problem, not an environmentalist’s problem.”

Prof. Seneviratne further said that birds are an indicator of the health of this environment. “We know that over 60% of the global bird population has declined over the past 20 years. But why did it happen? Is it because of toxic water, air pollution, 4G or 5G waves or due to some other toxins? We have to care and look for these causes because we live in the same environment as birds and wildlife. Most birds live up to about 10-30 years, they are monogamous and have a somewhat similar metabolism to that of humans. So does it mean that we too are killing ourselves slowly?

Already there are infertile people, children are being diagnosed with cancer etc. So, moving forward, are we still going to chase away birds so that some people can make headlines in the news? In fact, we need to study and protect birds, protect their flyways and protect our country, its sovereignty and the health of people. If we care about our future we need to look after the environment,” he said in conclusion. 

An urgent call to nab wildlife trafficking criminals 
Several attempts of wildlife trafficking were reported throughout the year. Conservationists opine that wildlife trafficking is a serious issue in Sri Lanka that needs urgent attention. “The country acts as a transit hub, a source country, and a consumer of wildlife contraband. Recent seizures of exotic birds and ball pythons show how involved Sri Lanka is in this illegal trade,” Manori Gunawardena, Director, Environmental Foundation Ltd. 

However, authorities have made progress in fighting this problem. According to Gunawardena, 65 metric tons of sea cucumbers were confiscated while two individuals were arrested for collecting endemic reptiles for the pet trade. “These offenders received an unprecedented fine of Rs 160 million. But still, there are many challenges ahead. To improve our response, we need to enhance prosecutions and use intelligence-led seizures. When offenders face real consequences, it helps deter wildlife crime. Better training for law enforcement will also lead to stronger cases and more successful convictions,” she added.

Gunawardena further said that collaboration among agencies in the criminal justice system is crucial. “Sharing resources and information can help dismantle trafficking networks that operate across borders. Notably, Environmental Foundation Ltd has launched a landmark initiative in partnership with international NGOs over the past three years to combat wildlife trafficking in Sri Lanka. This collaboration builds essential enforcement networks and supports prosecutions, making a significant impact in the fight against wildlife crime.”

“At the end of late December 2023, customs officials in Sri Lanka seized a shipment of exotic birds intended for the pet trade. The shipment arrived from Suriname at Mattala International Airport, and the investigation is still ongoing and to be resolved. Earlier this August, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard seized a fishing trawler carrying exotic ball pythons and other species. Between 2015 and 2020, authorities in Sri Lanka and India seized nearly 65 metric tons of sea cucumbers, which led to the arrest of 502 people involved in trafficking. In another case, two Russians were caught collecting endangered reptiles and received the highest fine to date: 160 million rupees. These incidents show that Sri Lanka is becoming a major hub for wildlife trafficking, acting as a source, transit point, and now a consumer country for illegal exotic pets,” she said in conclusion.