Whose Stories Matter? Selective Media Focus on Wildlife Deaths Raises Questions

Sri Lanka's ongoing conflict with its elephant population has claimed numerous victims over the years, but the narratives surrounding these deaths raise concerns about selective media attention and public awareness.

Schoolgirl Anuttara Indunil was killed by a wild elephant in Hasalaka in August 2022 while engaged in a religious observance, carrying alms to commemorate her deceased brother. Similarly, seven-year-old Hewage Kinuli lost her life in an elephant attack in Hambantota while accompanying her father to their agricultural land. Both incidents represent devastating losses, yet their stories have received varying degrees of public prominence.

These cases highlight broader questions about which tragedies capture public consciousness and media resources. Rural communities and lower-income families affected by elephant attacks often lack the platforms and advocacy networks that can amplify their losses to national prominence. The inconsistency in coverage raises concerns about whose voices are heard, whose memories are honored, and how society collectively processes grief across different social strata.

As human-wildlife conflict continues to claim lives in Sri Lanka, concerns grow about equitable representation in media narratives and the systemic factors that determine which victims become known to the nation and which remain largely invisible to broader society.