According to the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Department approximately 227 wild elephants have perished within the year of 2010 alone. The Director General of the department Chandrawansa Pathiraja said. more than 200 wild elephant in the country die each year in this manner.
Most of these elephant deaths are caused due to elephants getting trapped in Bandina Thuwakkuwa (muzzle-loader gun).
Meanwhile the Department of Wildlife Conservation also states that 80 people have died from elephant attacks in the last year. Careless on the part of the humans is the cause for a majority of these deaths, Dr. Pathiraja expressed.
He further added that special preparations are presently underway in order to restrict the number of human and elephant clashes and casualties.