Sri Lanka's Tallest Elephant Dies After Gunshot
Kavantissa, who stood 3.3 meters high, succumbed to a wound sustained in late September, joining a list of 370 elephants killed annually on the island.
By Jason Kovalenko ·
An average of 370 elephants die every year in Sri Lanka, a toll that reached a new focal point with the death of Kavantissa. The bull, widely regarded as the tallest living male elephant in the country, died on October 16 after sustaining a gunshot wound to his right leg. He was approximately 45 years old, weighed roughly 5,500 kilograms, and stood 3.3 meters high.
The incident began in late September when residents of Galgamuwa, a village in the northwest, noticed the animal limping. A closer inspection revealed the bullet injury. Veterinary surgeons attempted to treat the wound, but Kavantissa did not survive the treatment. His range had centered on the area near Galgamuwa, where his size had made him a local figure.
The pressure on the island's wildlife stems from a rapid demographic shift. The rural population expanded from 8.25 million in 1960 to 17.8 million in 2020. As farming remains the primary income source for these residents, land clearing for agriculture has reduced forest cover. The Department of Wildlife Conservation estimated the wild elephant population at 7,451 in 2024. Approximately 70% of these animals now live outside protected areas.
Each elephant requires roughly 150 kilograms of green matter daily. This dietary need drives the animals toward farmland, leading to the violent encounters that claim an average of 125 human lives annually alongside the 370 elephants. Sri Lanka holds about 10% of the world's Asian elephants within just 2% of their natural range, creating the highest density of the species anywhere on Earth.
Ravi Corea, president of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, attributes the conflict to habitat loss, fragmented corridors, and competition for land. He noted that crop losses directly threaten the income of rural families, a dynamic that distinguishes this conflict from those in wealthier nations. Corea stated that the national action plan drafted in 2020 provides a foundation but requires a comprehensive conservation strategy with enforceable habitat protection to halt the rising numbers.
Community-led initiatives are offering practical solutions. In the Wasgamuwa region, Project Orange Elephant encourages farmers to plant citrus trees, which elephants avoid, thereby reducing crop raiding while providing additional income. Electric fencing protects settlements and farmland from incursions. The EleFriendly bus service transports schoolchildren through elephant corridors, reducing dangerous encounters along its original route by more than 90%.
Kamal Shashendra, an environmental ethics researcher based in Sri Lanka, argued that a just solution must simultaneously protect human lives, livelihoods, and elephant populations. He said this requires scientifically informed land-use planning, protected corridors, and fair compensation for affected families. The death of Kavantissa underscores the persistent gap between legal protections and the physical reality of shrinking habitats on the island.
