Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Jumbo problem looms in Udawalawe
Encroachment may affect National Park and catchment areas, warn environmentalists
By Damitha Hemachandra
An environmental foundation has warned of dire consequences leading to human-elephant conflicts due to the heavy encroachment into the Udawalawe National Wildlife Park and the catchment areas of the Udawalawe reservoir by villagers with the patronage of local politicians.
The Society for Environment Education (SEE) spokesman Sajeewa Chamikara pointed out that the Udawalawe National Park was first established as a catchment area for the reservoir and also to provide a habitat for the elephants affected by the Udawalawe Project.
According to the park authorities the latest distribution of land from Maha Ara was done by the Embilipitiya Divisional Secretary.
The Udawalawe National Park, bordered by the Ratnapura and Moneragala Districts, is a result of the Walawe Ganga Development Scheme. The National Park had been created to protect the wild animals, especially elephants which were deprived of their natural habitats as a result of this development scheme. It was also to protect the catchment area of 30,821 hectares and declared a National Park by the Fauna and Flora Ordinance in 1970.
However heavy encroachment by nearly 50 villages bordering the park and distribution of land under the Swarnabhumi Land Scheme had reduced the size of the park to a mere 5,000 hectares within the last three decades. The park is already a point of heavy human-elephant conflict.
Meanwhile the park authorities accused the villagers of feeding the elephants for the amusement of visitors thus attracting more elephants to the park boundaries, thus worsening the situation.
By Damitha Hemachandra
An environmental foundation has warned of dire consequences leading to human-elephant conflicts due to the heavy encroachment into the Udawalawe National Wildlife Park and the catchment areas of the Udawalawe reservoir by villagers with the patronage of local politicians.
The Society for Environment Education (SEE) spokesman Sajeewa Chamikara pointed out that the Udawalawe National Park was first established as a catchment area for the reservoir and also to provide a habitat for the elephants affected by the Udawalawe Project.
According to the park authorities the latest distribution of land from Maha Ara was done by the Embilipitiya Divisional Secretary.
The Udawalawe National Park, bordered by the Ratnapura and Moneragala Districts, is a result of the Walawe Ganga Development Scheme. The National Park had been created to protect the wild animals, especially elephants which were deprived of their natural habitats as a result of this development scheme. It was also to protect the catchment area of 30,821 hectares and declared a National Park by the Fauna and Flora Ordinance in 1970.
However heavy encroachment by nearly 50 villages bordering the park and distribution of land under the Swarnabhumi Land Scheme had reduced the size of the park to a mere 5,000 hectares within the last three decades. The park is already a point of heavy human-elephant conflict.
Meanwhile the park authorities accused the villagers of feeding the elephants for the amusement of visitors thus attracting more elephants to the park boundaries, thus worsening the situation.
