Organised by Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ)
Human-Elephant Conflict in Sri Lanka:
Lessons Learnt during 2000 – 2020
Human-elephant conflict is a complex environmental, socio-economic and political concern affecting the country. Nature of the conflict varies geographically and its course varies temporally. Habitat destruction continues as the main driver behind the conflict. Despite scientific research, conservation policies, law enforcement and community engagement around the topic, conflict regrettably remains. As an organisation committed to environmental justice over 16 years, CEJ is going to review the country’s experience of human-elephant conflict in the last two decades with the objective of identifying more realistic approaches towards coexistence.
Thematic areas:
Human and elephant behaviour related to conflict
Humans and elephants compete for resources, mainly land, for their existence. The encroaching behaviour of competing humans is challenged by the acquired behaviour of wild elephants. This conflicting circumstance affects the parties involved in varying degrees. Understanding human and elephant behaviour that outlines the conflict is of great significance in resolving the matter.
Impacts of conflict and conflict management on people and elephants
Conflict is a stressor, both physical and psychological, and the outcomes are always devastating. Some costs of the conflict are intangible. Conflict management involves multi-stakeholder levels and must be guided by conservation policies. Nevertheless, certain mitigation measures can adversely affect both people and elephants.
Methods appropriate for mitigating human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka
The cost of mitigating human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka is considerable. Government and non-government sectors annually spend wealth in this regard to get mixed results. Thus, it is timely to evaluate the effectiveness of conflict mitigation methods adopted over the last two decades. Effective methods should do justice to the environment, elephants, and people.
Symposium will be held on
19th March 2021
Important Dates:
Deadline for submission of abstracts
20th Nov. 2020
Deadline for submission of manuscripts
05th Feb. 2021
Deadline to receive the final version of manuscripts