The death of Kavantissa, one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic wild tuskers, has raised fresh questions over who was responsible for the gunshot injury he suffered and whether sufficient action was taken to identify those involved.
Environmentalists are demanding an independent investigation into the elephant’s death, while wildlife authorities prepare to conduct a post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause.
Environmentalist Nayanaka Ranwella has called for an independent examination of Kavantissa’s remains and an investigation to identify whoever was responsible for shooting the animal.
He also raised concerns over the treatment provided to the tusker before his death.
Kavantissa died on Friday (October 16) after battling serious health complications for several weeks. The elephant had been receiving veterinary treatment since September 24 for an injury to his right front leg, reportedly caused by gunfire.
However, questions remain over the circumstances of the shooting, including when and where it occurred and who was responsible.
On October 4, media reports said wildlife veterinarians had confirmed a gunshot injury to Kavantissa’s front leg.
Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi told the media at the time that teams were investigating the shooting. He said wildlife officers had initially noticed changes in the elephant’s movements before reporting the matter to the department’s headquarters.
A newspaper report also highlighted concerns raised by wildlife officers over the availability of firearms among farmers in areas affected by human-elephant conflict.
Wildlife officers also alleged that some local political leaders had interfered with efforts to take action against those responsible for shooting elephants.
These concerns have brought renewed attention to the circumstances in which Kavantissa sustained his injuries.
The shooting first came to public attention in late September. Wildlife enthusiasts reported observing Kavantissa moving normally near Galgamuwa on September 20 before noticing the elephant limping the following day.
A closer inspection revealed an apparent gunshot wound near the right front knee.
Wildlife veterinarians subsequently told the media that the elephant had been sedated so the wound could be cleaned and treated with antibiotics.
However, an earlier report published by Lankadeepa on September 25 quoted the Galgamuwa Wildlife Office as saying veterinarians had not observed evidence of pellets in the elephant’s body. The office also disputed claims circulating on social media about the shooting.
Subsequent reporting, including statements attributed to wildlife veterinarians and officials, identified the injury as a gunshot wound.
Kavantissa initially showed signs of recovery but later developed further health complications.
On October 12, Wildlife Assistant Director Channa Sooriyaweera said the elephant had moved from Galgamuwa towards Thambuttegama, where wildlife officers located him suffering from diarrhoea.
Veterinary teams continued treating both the original injury and his subsequent illness.
On Friday morning, Kavantissa was discovered collapsed in a paddy field in the Siyambalangamuwa area, around two kilometres from the location where he had received treatment the previous day.
Despite efforts by wildlife veterinary teams to save him, the elephant died at approximately 6:18 p.m.
The Department of Wildlife Conservation said it would seek a court order on Saturday (October 17) to conduct a post-mortem examination.
A specialist team, including experts from the University of Peradeniya, is expected to examine the remains to establish the cause of death.
Meanwhile, the demand for an independent investigation has renewed calls for accountability in cases involving injuries to protected wildlife.
Although the Environment Minister previously confirmed that teams were investigating the shooting, no suspect, arrest or conclusive finding identifying the person responsible could be established from the publicly available reports reviewed.
The post-mortem examination may determine what caused Kavantissa’s death, but the separate question of who inflicted the gunshot injury remains unanswered. (Newswire)
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