Wildlife sources say that a powerful politician, a veterinary professor and a well known elephant smuggler have been involved in the attempt to steal an elephant from Udawalawe National Park. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the group had made several attempts to do so over few weeks .
Army troops patrolling the Panahaduwa area in Udawalawe recently found an elephant calf sedated and tied with ropes to a tree, while three suspects were reported to have escaped. According to the sources, a powerful young politician has been trying to get a baby elephant for a long time and the wildlife units have also received information that he is trying to abduct an elephant a few days ago. Among the group is a well-known elephant smuggler who is believed to have used a drug gun to tranquilize the elephant, and it is believed that the services of an experienced veterinarian were used to perform the tranquilization correctly. It is stated that the anesthesia equipment is only available at the Department of Wildlife, the Department of National Zoology and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University, sources revealed to Lankasara.
Wildlife sources told Lankasara that the stolen baby elephant was an elephant named Kalana who had fostered in Eth Athuru Sewna fostering station and released to the park later.
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