By

Risidra Mendis

Environmentalists are protesting an alleged decision taken by the Wildlife Resources and Conservation Ministry to transfer four baby elephants from the transit home, Ath Athuru Sevana in Ritigala, to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.

The decision to open an elephant transit home in Ritigala was taken by the Minister of Environment, Champika Ranawaka, to attend to sick orphaned baby elephants and release them to the wild when they are older and are in a position to fend for themsleves.

Ath Athuru Sevana, the second elephant transit home, around 200 hectares in extent, was opened on 24 March 2012 by the former Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife, S.M. Chandrasena.

Even though, Ath Athuru Sevana was built at a cost of Rs 140 million, the location was not suitable to keep elephants. Due to a shortage of water and food for the animals, a decision was taken recently, to shut down the transit home.

Went ahead despite unsuitability

Reliable sources told Ceylon Today, that even though the authorities were told about the problems regarding the area and its unsuitability for the purpose, they had gone ahead with the plan of opening the transit home.

“A water tank close to the proposed area was meant to provide water for the elephants. However, this tank dries up during the drought season from August to September. It was also revealed the ground water in the area contains a high level of nitrogen and calcium, and hence unfit for drinking,” reliable sources said.

They went on to say that a bowser would bring water to the location, but when the bowser had broke down, there was no other method of providing water for the animals, and elephants, especially, need a lot of water to keep their bodies cool.

“Due to the shortage of water, around five to six elephants died. The post-mortem revealed that some of them had died due to heat conditions. The remaining four baby elephants between the ages of six months and one-and-a-half-years are to be sent to Pinnawela, because there is no room at the Uda Walawe transit home,” the sources explained.

They further stressed the Director of the National Zoological Gardens (NZG), Anura de Silva, had also requested the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC), to keep a few bottle feeding baby elephants at Pinnawela orphanage.

“These animals are to be released to the wild. It is not fair to send them to Pinnawela, where they will be chained and kept in captivity for the rest of their lives,” sources further said.

Tourist attraction

NZG Director, Anura de Silva confirmed that he had made a request to DWLC Director General, H.D. Ratnayake, to release some baby elephants to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.

“I requested Ratnayake to send a few bottle feeding baby elephants to Pinnawela, because we don’t have such animals there. Tourists and visitors coming to Pinnawela like to see baby elephants being bottle fed,” de Silva said.

He further said the baby elephants will not be given to temples or private individuals as they are below 10 years of age.

A member of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Galle, Nadeeka Hapuarachchi, told Ceylon Today, that public funds were used to start the Elephant transit home in Ritigala that has now turned out to be a disaster.

“Water for the elephants was taken from the nearby tank in Ritigala that is used by the villagers to bathe. Subsequently, water was brought from the Kekirawa Water Board as there was a shortage of water in the area,” Hapuarachchi explained.

Commenting on the decision taken by Wildlife Ministry officials, to send the remaining four baby elephants to Pinnawela, Hapuarachchi said the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, Uda Walawe Elephant transit home and Ath Athuru Sevana, come under the DWLC.

While questioning the motives of ministry officials, Hapuarachchi stressed the importance of sending baby elephants to the Uda Walawe transit home, as these animals will eventually be released to the wild from there.

“If the baby elephants are sent to Pinnawela, they will never be released to the wild and will be kept in captivity for the rest of their lives. They will be allowed to be taken for private parties or to temples, or sent overseas when requests are made by foreign delegates to come to Sri Lanka,” he said.

Against the move

He stressed that out of the seven baby elephants at Ritigala, three were sent to the Uda Walawe transit home, and the remaining four animals can also be sent to Uda Walawe. “Transferring these animals to another location without sending them to Pinnawela would be a better option,” he said.

Zoologist Dilan Peiris said the shortage of food and water for these animals was the main reason, the transit home had to be shut down. “These elephants should be sent to the Uda Walawe transit home and not to Pinnawela,” Peiris stressed.

According to him, animals in Pinnawela are kept chained throughout the day except when they are taken for their baths, and they will be fed according to a timetable drawn up for all the elephants.

“These orphaned animals were given refuge at Ritigala on the basis that they would be released to the wild when they are older. All elephants belong to the State and are not anybody’s private property to be shifted from one place to another for one’s entertainment,” Peiris said.

He explained that people cannot just take these elephants and put them on display like ornaments or to satisfy some people’s desires, and added that the elephants like all other animals have the right to live freely in the wild.

“People have no right to control these animals and keep them tied and confined to small spaces. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as head of the country, is responsible not only for the protection of the people but that of the animals as well. The President should ensure these elephants are kept at Uda Walawe and released to the jungles,” Peiris explained.

According to him, when King Devanampiyatissa ruled the country, he had gone deer hunting one day, and it was Mihindu Hamuduruwo who had told the King that he cannot harm the animals in the country, as he is the ruler of them as well.

“If there is a shortage of staff at Uda Walawe, the staff at Ritigala can be sent to Uda Walawe to take care of the elephants,” Peiris said.

President of Sathva Mithra, Sagarica Rajakarunanayake, said if these baby elephants are taken to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, there should be a guarantee that these animals will remain at the orphanage and not be given to private parties or temples.

Responsibility of the State

“The orphaned baby elephants were taken from the wild with the intention of releasing them back to the wild. The State has taken the responsibility of caring for these orphaned baby elephants and their rights should be respected. The Orphanage is for these animals to stay free of cruelty and harm,” Rajakarunanayake explained.

She further said, these animals should not be used for commercial purposes and if the Pinnawela Orphanage does not have enough room to keep the present set of animals, then another orphanage should be opened for the excess animals. “Giving these animals to temples and private parties to be used to earn money and the cruelty imposed on these elephants can be prevented if they remain at Pinnawela,” Rajakarunanayake said.

A Wildlife official meanwhile confirmed that a decision was taken to shut down the Ritigala Ath Athuru Sevana, as there was a shortage of food and water in the area for the elephants. The animals will not be taken to Pinnawela,” he said.

Wildlife Resources and Conservation Ministry Secretary, Udeni Wickremesinghe, said the baby elephants at Ritigala will not be sent to Pinnawela.
COURTESY:CEYLON TODAY