Human–Elephant Conflict in Sri Lanka: A Critical Review of Causal Explanations

Human–elephant conflict (HEC) is a severe and much-debated issue in Sri Lanka. An average of two hundred animals are intentionally killed, and seventy to eighty human casualties are counted each year. The Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) is an endangered subspecies. The reported elephan...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2021-08, Vol.13 (15), p.8625
Main Authors: Köpke, Sören, Withanachchi, Sisira S., Pathiranage, Ruwan, Withanachchi, Chandana R., Gamage, Deepika U., Nissanka, Thushantha S., Warapitiya, Chinthana C., Nissanka, Banu M., Ranasinghe, Nirangani N., Senarathna, Chathurika D., Schleyer, Christian, Thiel, Andreas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
19th century
Agricultural production
Animal behavior
Animals
Casualties
Elephants
Endangered & extinct species
Habitat loss
Hunting
Land use
Narratives
Poaching
Population
Population growth
Rural populations
Scientific papers
Sustainability
Trauma
Wildlife conservation
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Human–elephant conflict (HEC) is a severe and much-debated issue in Sri Lanka. An average of two hundred animals are intentionally killed, and seventy to eighty human casualties are counted each year. The Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) is an endangered subspecies. The reported elephant mortality rates are high. On the other hand, human–elephant conflict also leads to hardship and trauma among rural populations. This research paper reviews causal explanations for HEC in Sri Lanka, tracing underlying narratives and connecting broader conservation theory and practical approaches. The paper discusses potential causes and contexts of HEC in Sri Lanka, including historical factors (i.e., colonial hunting and land-use changes), poaching, habitat loss due to population growth, crop-raiding behaviour, problem animals, and changes in agricultural production systems. The review concludes that socio-economic and cultural factors in HEC in Sri Lanka are poorly explained, and more research should focus on the underlying conditions of rural populations’ vulnerability.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su13158625