Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has reached out to the Prince of Wales through the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, seeking international support to address the island’s growing human elephant conflict.
Premadasa handed over a formal letter to British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick during a meeting at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo yesterday (26). The letter appeals for the Prince of Wales’ involvement in protecting Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population, one of the largest in Asia, and calls for urgent global attention to a crisis that claims the lives of more than 400 elephants and 150 people every year.
In his appeal, Premadasa stressed the need for a science based national conservation strategy to reduce human elephant encounters and safeguard both communities and wildlife. The proposal also suggests the creation of a National Elephant Conservation and Coexistence Initiative, a long term framework that would bring together conservation experts, local communities and international partners.
“Sri Lanka’s elephants are not only our national heritage, they are part of the world’s biodiversity,” Premadasa wrote. “With the leadership of the Prince of Wales and his conservation network, we can build a sustainable future where wildlife and communities thrive together.”
British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick welcomed the move, noting the UK’s commitment to protecting biodiversity. “Sri Lanka’s wild elephants are globally significant. Protecting them is essential not only for the country but for the world,” he said. “This is a timely and necessary initiative, and I commend Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa for his dedication to conservation and coexistence.”
The call comes at a time when Sri Lanka is experiencing rising incidents of human elephant conflict, with conservationists warning that without immediate action both rural livelihoods and the country’s elephant population face serious threats.
Sajith Appeals to Prince of Wales for Support to Protect Sri Lankan Elephants
