Elephant found dead with left tusk removed in Kahatagasdigiliya

Daily Mirror and Newswire report that the elephant’s body was found in a forested area near the Kayangollewa Tank in Kahatagasdigiliya, in Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura District. Newswire says wildlife officers discovered it on Sunday (01), beside a paddy field in the Meeminnawala Grama Niladhari Division; Ada Derana (தமிழ்) also reports that the carcass was found in forest near the tank.

Newswire reports that wildlife officials estimate the elephant was between 20 and 25 years old, about seven feet tall, and had died roughly a week before it was found. Newswire says preliminary observations indicated the left tusk had been cut off with a weapon after the animal’s death.

Newswire reports that Kahatagasdigiliya police, Army Intelligence and wildlife officials had started investigations, and that wildlife officers and Civil Defence Force personnel were assigned to protect the carcass. Newswire also reports Environment Minister Dhammika Patabendi said the investigation would be handed to the Criminal Investigation Department, which would seek to identify those responsible and pursue legal action.

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.