Expert team to investigate death of iconic tusker Kavantissa

Sri Lanka’s well-known wild tusker Kavantissa died on October 16 after receiving veterinary treatment for a gunshot injury, according to Newswire. The reports do not identify who shot the elephant. Newswire reported that the Department of Wildlife Conservation would seek a court order on October 17 to conduct a post-mortem examination.

Wildlife Conservation Director General Ranjan Marasinghe defended the department’s record, saying Kavantissa was estimated to be more than 45 years old and that wild elephants generally live about 50 to 60 years. He said the animal had lived under the country’s conservation system for decades, and argued that authorities must protect the wider elephant population, not only individual tuskers.

Marasinghe also said the department had tried to introduce GPS collars for more than 100 elephants but faced practical obstacles: fitting them requires tranquilising the animals, which can carry health risks, particularly for older elephants. Separately, former Dehiwala National Zoological Park veterinary officer Dr Jagath Jayasekara said treating an elephant weighing four to five tonnes is difficult and risky for veterinary teams.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa visited Siyambalangamuwa on October 17 to pay his respects and called for a transparent investigation involving Sri Lankan and international specialists. He also proposed a task force to protect remaining tuskers, a national programme addressing human-elephant conflict, and a dedicated wildlife veterinary hospital with international support. He said farming communities’ safety should also be addressed and offered to lead a conservation initiative involving young people.

Written automatically by AI from the outlets’ own reports, and not reviewed by an editor. It can be wrong — the original report is the authority.