World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Ex-military man arrested over illegal elephant tusk removal
Wildlife authorities have arrested a former Civil Defence Force member on suspicion of illegally removing the tusk from a dead elephant discovered in the Kumbukwewa area. Officers from the Kahatagasdigiliya Wildlife Range Office made the arrest following an investigation into the elephant's death.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
The former Civil Defence Force member was taken into custody by Wildlife Department officers after investigators found evidence linking him to the removal of the tusk from the deceased animal. The elephant was located in the Kumbukwewa locality near Kahatagasdigiliya, with authorities noting that one of its tusks had been severed.
The Wildlife Department's Kahatagasdigiliya Range Office initiated inquiries after discovering the dead elephant in an unusual condition. During the subsequent investigation, officers identified the suspect and gathered sufficient evidence to warrant his arrest.
The case underscores ongoing concerns about poaching and the illegal removal of elephant tusks, an issue that has periodically affected Sri Lanka's wildlife conservation efforts. Elephants remain a protected species under the country's wildlife laws, with penalties for harming or dismembering them.
The suspect is expected to face legal proceedings as investigations continue. Wildlife authorities have not yet released full details of the findings from their examination of the elephant's remains or the circumstances surrounding its death.