Minister laments dearth of wildlife officials
The dearth of wildlife officials has been a major drawback in enforcing wildlife regulations, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said. There are only 3,000 odd wildlife officials to serve nearly one million hectares of forest in the country. The elephant population in Sri Lanka did not face any threat of extinction as its density has been increasing in recent times, he said. Steps have been taken to erect electrified fences under the Maga Neguma to ward off marauding elephants in an effort to eradicate the elephant-human conflict, the Minister said.