A total of 53 elephants have died and 17 have been injured in train collisions in Sri Lanka from 2020 to 2024, it was revealed during a recent session of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).
The revelation was made during a discussion chaired by MP Aravinda Senaratne on the 2023 Auditor General’s report and the current performance of the Department of Railways.
COPA noted that despite a 2018 study identifying high-risk zones where elephant crossings intersect with railway lines, the number of train-elephant collisions has not decreased.
Officials stated that the situation has worsened, with nearly 200 elephants currently roaming near railway tracks daily.
They further said that while short-term solutions have been implemented, discussions are ongoing with the Department of Wildlife Conservation to introduce long-term measures. (Newswire)