Six crop-ravaging animals have been removed from the list of protected animals in Sri Lanka, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture said.
According to The Morning, the official said that Peacocks, monkeys, toque macaques (“rilava”), grizzled giant squirrels (“dadu lena”), porcupines, and wild boars have been removed from the list of protected animals.
The official further said that with these six wild animals being taken off the list of protected animals, their population can be controlled which in turn will help mitigate crop damage.
“Significant crop damage amounting to millions of rupees have been caused by these animals as their population has multiplied due to being identified as protected animals. However, their removal from the list does not mean they can be hunted or killed; it simply means that their population will be controlled. We will never permit the killing or hunting of these animals,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera stated that a committee headed by the Secretaries of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation was appointed to look into the crop damage caused by wild animals.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, the minister said that the committee has handed over its report and it is currently being reviewed.
Minister Amaraweera further revealed that 121 million coconuts and more than 8,000 metric tonnes of paddy have been destroyed annually by these animals. (NewsWire)
