Elephants will not be given to politicians at any cost, Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S. M. Chandrasena said. The Minister also said that several temples in the island have also requested tamed elephants but there is a shortage.
He told The Sunday Leader that there is a request for approximately 300 tamed elephants but the authorities can only provide around 120 elephants. As a result requests by politicians and other organizations for tamed elephants will not be entertained, the Minister stressed.
He said that elephants kept at the Pinnawala elephant orphanage which reach the age of five years are considered for donation to Buddhist temples islandwide. Meanwhile the Minister also said that around 32 elephants had died this year when compared to 67 last year.
A countrywide elephant survey carried out last August found that an elephant population of 5,879 currently exists in the country.
The Wildlife Department had said that 1,107 out of the total 5,879 elephants are baby elephants. The survey has also found 122 tuskers.
The counting of elephants took place at 1,553 centers around the country including the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/11/06/no-elephants-for-politicos/
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/11/06/no-elephants-for-politicos/
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