"Relations between farmers and elephants are 'war.'"

The Escalating Conflict Between Farmers and Elephants in Sri Lanka

In central Sri Lanka, a growing crisis is unfolding as farmers and elephants clash over dwindling resources. The conflict has intensified due to rising costs of fuel and fertilizer, linked to the Middle East conflict, pushing farmers to protect their harvests more aggressively than ever before.

A Cycle of Raids and Retaliation

Around Dambulla, farmers report that elephants frequently wander onto paddy fields. To drive them away, farmers use torches and firecrackers—but some elephants respond by attacking. In retaliation, some elephants are killed by gunshot, electrocution, or jaw bombs, despite these actions being illegal.

Sri Lanka is home to about 7,400 Asian elephants, most of which live near farms and settlements. The toll is mounting: government data shows elephant deaths rose from 255 in 2011 to 488 in 2023, while fatal attacks on farmers jumped from 60 to 188 over the same period.

Why the Conflict Is Worsening

Several factors are driving the escalation:

• Improved irrigation allows multiple crops per year, making farmland more attractive to elephants because crops are more nutritious than natural forage.
• Elephants are adapting to traditional deterrents like firecrackers and torches, forcing farmers to seek more extreme measures.
• Government "elephant drives" move elephants into national parks with electric fences, but elephants learn to bypass them. Meanwhile, forests lack sufficient food, pushing the animals back into farmland.

"It's an arms race, where elephants adapt and farmers escalate."
— Elephant expert Prithiviraj Fernando

The Economic Strain on Farmers

Farmers are caught in a perfect storm. They face multiple crises: a government fertilizer ban (later reversed), fuel price surges after Sri Lanka defaulted on its debts, a cyclone, and now the Middle East conflict driving fertilizer prices from $15 to $37 per bag.

Farmer Gaamini Disanaayake borrowed money for fertilizer, only to see mung bean prices collapse due to market flooding. Economic desperation, he says, increases their determination to keep elephants away from crops.

"I feel sorry for elephants, but I have no other way to feed my children."
— Farmer Gaamini Disanaayake

A Glimmer of Solutions

The wildlife department is piloting a new approach: creating a category of national park where farmers can practice traditional seasonal farming, allowing elephants to graze on fallow land. Some farmers also make offerings to deities, hoping to protect their fields without harming the animals.

Zoology professor Devaka Weerakoon called the killing methods "inhumane," but noted: "Farmers are not resilient." Wildlife director Manjula Amararathna added that elephants come to villages because forest density is saturated.

The cycle of adaptation and escalation continues, with both sides paying a heavy price.