Sri Lanka. Four elephants killed by a train

A train struck and killed a female elephant and her three cubs in northern Sri Lanka on Wednesday, local police said.

The accident happened in Cheddikulam, about 260 km north of Colombo.

“One of the cubs was dragged 300 meters of track after being hit,” said a local police official, who said it was possibly the most serious accident involving elephants in Sri Lanka.

No passenger on the train was injured.

Sacred animals

Elephants are considered sacred animals in Sri Lanka, but around 200 animals are killed each year, often by peasants furious that they have devastated their crops.

About fifty people are also killed on average each year by marauding elephants in villages close to their habitat.

In 2011, three baby elephants were killed by a train traveling on the same railway 150 km north of Colombo. In May, four elephants were struck down in the north of the country.

The population of the island, which was estimated at the beginning of the 20th century at 12,000 individuals, is now only 7,000 animals, according to the latest studies.

Aishwarya Yogeshwar

Aishwarya Yogeshwar is the visionary founder of CGI Jaffna, a pioneering organization dedicated to fostering innovation and community growth in the Jaffna region. With a deep passion for news publishing, Aishwarya combines her entrepreneurial spirit with a keen interest in delivering impactful and engaging stories. Her commitment to creating a platform for reliable news and meaningful discourse reflects her dedication to empowering communities through knowledge and information. Aishwarya’s leadership and innovative approach make her a driving force in the world of media and communication.

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