The Department of Wildlife Conservation and Environment Ministry have requested support from the Police Special Task Force (STF) and local Police to strengthen protections for wild elephants following deaths reported recently in the Sigiriya and Galgamuwa areas.
In a letter to the Acting Inspector General of Police, Department called for urgent assistance from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) to aid ongoing investigations.
According to a statement from the department, one of the elephant deaths in the Digampathana area of Sigiriya was first reported on February 3, 2025. The case is currently under investigation before the Dambulla Magistrate’s Court.
Two additional elephants were later found dead within the same wildlife reserve. One was identified as a tusker, with its tusks believed to have been removed by unidentified individuals.
The most recent elephant deaths were observed by wildlife officers on July 22, 2025. Another incident involving a dead elephant in the Ehetuwewa area of Galgamuwa is expected to be reported to the Galgamuwa Magistrate’s Court.
The elephant deaths were reported across Sigiriya, Ganewalpola, and Galgamuwa, which fall within the Matale, Anuradhapura, and Kurunegala districts, respectively. (Newswire)
