Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Minister Pavithra Vanniarachchi has submitted a Cabinet Paper to the Cabinet to establish an "Elephant Breeding Centre" to increase the population of domesticated elephants.
Thus, it is planned to get elephants from the Wildlife Conservation Department and the National Zoological Department for breeding purposes.
In 1960, there were about 600 tame elephants, but now that number has reduced to 225, 65 of the current tame elephants are over 50 years old, and it is estimated that the number of tame elephants will decrease to less than 20 by 2040. It has been mentioned in the relevant cabinet paper.
The population of tame elephants has decreased greatly due to ageing, lack of access to external elephants, disease, non-use of tame elephants for breeding, etc. Due to this, tame elephants are used in many religious shrines scattered around the island including the processions of the Sri Dalada Palace in Kandy and for cultural activities. The Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation says that there is a difficult situation in using elephants.
At present, domesticated elephants are housed in temples, private owners and government-owned Dehiwala National Zoo, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Ridhiyagama Safari Park and Udawala Elephant Shelter, but only a very limited number of domestic elephant births have been reported from places other than Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. mention
Headed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation and consisting of Pradeep Nilanga Dela of Diyawadana Nilam of Sri Dalada Palace, Professor Ashoka Dangolla of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Peradeniya and the Director Generals of the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the National Zoo to investigate the feasibility of breeding tame elephants and make observations and recommendations. A committee was appointed and the committee's report has been submitted to the President.
Thus, the Elephant Breeding Center is going to use part of the 29.4 hectares of land belonging to the National Zoological Department located at Kahpola, Piliyandala, Kesbewa Divisional Secretariat. Food production for Dehiwala Zoo will be carried out on this land, and the relevant breeding center will be established in a part where crops have not been cultivated.
Elephants are to be fed with the grass grown on this land, and it is planned to use elephant dung as fertilizer for grazing. Due to this, the related committee has recommended that the cost of food for elephants will be reduced.
It is planned to use the chained male elephants of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage for elephant breeding.
Because the elephants in Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage are chained, it is difficult to include the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage as a place of tourist attraction in the trips of foreigners, and because of this, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage loses about 500 million rupees annually. The Ministry also says that the income of Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage will increase.
Arrangements have been made to establish a research center in this tame elephant breeding center. It is planned to use an amount of 450 million rupees for three years with 150 million rupees per year from next year (2024) for projects including this breeding center.