Elephants eating garbage in Sri Lanka

On February 13, 2023, elephants were seen coming to garbage pits to eat garbage in Kaduruwela and Minneriya, Sri Lanka. In the Kaduruwela area of Polonnaruwa district, which is 224 kilometers from Colombo city, it was possible to see elephants eating garbage in a garbage pit, and the skeletal remains of an elephant that died due to eating polythene were found nearby. Sri Lanka has the highest number of elephant deaths in the world, with the main reason being elephant-human conflict. Many elephants also die from eating garbage. In 2022, 433 elephants died in Sri Lanka, with littering, shootings, traps, and road accidents contributing to the increasing number of elephant deaths. Additionally, 145 people died in 2022 as a result of the elephant-human conflict. Encroachment on elephant habitats by humans has also resulted in destruction of crops and property, as well as human lives. Not only elephants, but also dogs, cows, and birds come to eat in these garbage pits, and these garbage pits affect the lives of all these animals.