In July 2025, over 24 elephant deaths were reported, marking it as one of the deadliest months for wild elephants in Sri Lanka. These deaths, revealed through social media reports, may be even higher in reality.
The majority of the deaths were caused by gunshot wounds. A noticeable pattern emerged where elephants entered farmlands after the harvesting season, leading to several fatal encounters.
There was also a sharp rise in the number of elephant calves dying due to hakka patas (explosive bait). In contrast, deaths caused by illegal electric fencing were relatively fewer during this period.
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