Colombo, Mar 14 (PTI) Sri Lankan authorities are making attempts to stop elephant deaths from train collisions after last month’s tragedy in which seven elephants died after being struck by a train.
On February 20, six elephants were killed while two more were injured after being hit by an intercity train that was travelling from the eastern town of Batticaloa to capital Colombo. The accident occurred in Habarana area.
The train was derailed but no passengers were hurt while one of the injured elephants succumbed later.
At the same spot, two elephant calves and their mother died after a collision with a train in late 2018.
The wildlife conservation, environment and railway authorities are now making concerted efforts to prevent elephants being hurt in the future.
"The railway department in its 160-year history has always tried to help natural heritage,” B S Polwattage, a top railways official, told reporters here on Friday.
He said 138 elephants had died over the last four years in train collisions while 1,238 deaths occurred during the last 17 years.
The official said measures such as clearing of the track sides to provide better visibility to engine operators and filling the space in the tracks to stop elephants from getting stuck are being taken.
Sri Lanka’s current elephant population is estimated to be around over 5,800 from a 2024 survey.