Justice for Bathiya: Sri Lanka Demands Action After Majestic Tusker Dies Amidst Human-Wildlife Conflict Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Parisara Sathwa Sanvidana Ekamuthuwa (Environment and Animal Organization) is staging a protest in front of the Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka, on July 17, 2025, demanding accountability and justice for Bathiya. The incident is amplifying public concern over the worsening human-elephant conflict and is calling for urgent policy reforms to protect Sri Lanka’s wild elephants. Following his death, Tusker Bathiya is being remembered as a majestic Sri Lankan elephant, whose tragic death is becoming a powerful symbol in the fight for wildlife protection. He is collapsing into a muddy pit in Polpithigama, a forested area, on the morning of July 15, 2025, around 8:55 AM. His body is showing signs of severe gunshot wounds, neurological damage, and muscle degeneration, likely caused by long-standing injuries and human-inflicted trauma. Despite enduring nine days of intensive care from veterinarians, wildlife officers, and military personnel, Bathiya’s condition is continuing to decline. He is refusing food and losing coordination, making recovery impossible.