By Newswire Editorial
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has recalled a rare photograph of an iconic Sri Lankan tusker taken by his father, former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, in August 1961, highlighting the importance of elephant conservation in Sri Lanka.
In a video message, highlighting the death of tusker Kawanthissa, Premadasa said his father, who was a wildlife photographer and environmentalist, had introduced him to the importance of protecting Sri Lanka’s elephant population.
He revealed that the first elephant his father photographed was the Walaskema Tusker, an iconic tusker that frequented the Walaskema area in Block 2 of Yala National Park during the dry season when water was scarce.
According to Premadasa, the tusker had to kneel to drink water at Walaskema, leaving an indentation in the rock that remains visible to this day.
He said the photograph was taken at around 6.00 a.m. in August 1961, with his father having travelled to the location the previous night to capture the rare image.
Premadasa noted that only a handful of photographers in Sri Lanka had managed to photograph the Walaskema Tusker.
The Opposition Leader said he intends to share the historic photograph with the public, particularly the younger generation, to highlight the importance of protecting Sri Lanka’s elephant population.
Referring to the recent death of Kawanthissa, Premadasa expressed concern over the country’s dwindling elephant population and stressed the need for greater conservation efforts. (Newswire)