Suitable habitats required to resolve human-elephant conflict : President

COLOMBO (News1st): President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said a suitable habitat must be found for wild elephants to resolve the longstanding human-elephant conflict. "If we protect areas such as Kaudulla and Minneriya we can do this," the President said during a meeting on Thursday. He had pointed out that the human-elephant conflict is a major issue in the country that has led to the loss of both elephant and human lives. "I know from first-hand experience that some individuals even hate talking about elephants," Rajapaksa said. He observed that the anger towards wild elephants has increased as they have claimed human lives while damaging houses and cultivations. The President insisted that the relevant measures including the protection of habitats must be implemented in the next two to three years to resolve this issue.