Sri Lanka, Oct. 23 -- The absence of the tusker Mahasen for the past three months does not necessarily mean that something bad has happened to the elephant, a senior Wildlife Department official said, explaining that wild elephants can roam vast areas and remain unseen for months.

The official was responding to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa's statement in Parliament yesterday regarding the missing tusker.

Wild elephants do not remain within designated areas but travel several kilometres daily, either in herds or alone. Some elephants may disappear from sight for months before being spotted again, he said.

Although Mahasen has not been seen for the past three months, wildlife officers have received no information suggesting that a...