Sri Lanka, Sept. 18 -- Sri Lanka's human-elephant conflict is a series of tragic incidents that claims the lives of more than 100 people and hundreds of elephants every year. It is a serious social and environmental crisis facing the country. Due to shortages of food and water, wild elephants frequently enter villages. The establishment of human settlements in and around elephant habitats is another contributing factor to this problem. The closure of elephant corridors is another major cause.

During the first eight months of this year (according to reports obtained by mid-August), approximately 180 to 201 wild elephants have died in Sri Lanka as a result of the human-elephant conflict and related incidents. Between 56 and 79 people have...