Sri Lanka Proposes 30-Year National Master Plan to Address Escalating Human-Elephant Conflict 🐘

• Escalating Economic & Human Impact: Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) poses significant social and economic costs, recording 488 elephant deaths and 154 human fatalities in 2023. Over 70% of wild elephants live outside protected areas, impacting rural agriculture and livelihoods. • Landscape Stewardship & EMRs: Shifting from reactive measures (fences, translocations) to Elephant Managed Ranges (EMRs) to integrate agriculture and seasonal habitats, driving direct economic benefits and local community stewardship. • Presidential Initiative & Master Plan: Proposes a multi-sectoral Presidential Initiative and a 30-year National Elephant Conservation Master Plan (2027–2057) to integrate land-use planning across agriculture, tourism, and rural development. • Economic & Ecological Co-Benefits: Strategic coexistence aims to safeguard watersheds, boost eco-tourism, strengthen food security, and leverage modern tech (AI, predictive analytics) alongside biodiversity finance and carbon markets.