Abstract:
In many parts of Sri Lanka, the human-elephant conflict poses a serious hazard
to the public. The human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka is not a recent problem,
the problem is part of the ancient. It has been going on since man began
cultivating in elephant-infested areas. In this way, the research aims to analyze
the impact of human-elephant conflict in Nintavur DSD. The study was carried
out based on the primary and secondary data collection techniques and the
primary data collection was done by Key Informal Interviews (KII),
Questionnaires and field surveys systematically. Secondary data were collected
from Divisional secretariat repots, research articles, agrarian reports, newspapers,
internet and books. Based on these findings results have been concluded in this
study. Various human and physical impacts have been identified from the public
perception through the questionnaire survey. The study of the Impact of humanelephant conflict was carried out from 2017 to 2021 through the use of a
questionnaire in 85 families selected randomly from Nintavur DSD. As a result,
most of the present elephant range overlaps and stretches into agricultural lands,
resulting in human conflict. According to the research, the elephant conflict had
the greatest impact on agricultural land, settlement and practice during the two
season of agricultural yield growth. The area had a lot of agricultural land and
communities, and it was mostly used by humans and elephants. According to the
findings of this study, the Maha and Yala seasons were identified as the periods
of Human-Elephant conflict. Therefore, the public belief, human-elephant
conflict occurs most frequently around Maha season (69%). And also the result,
71% of the respondents' associated with crop damage and the Public identified
(86%) paddy crop damage was a higher impact in the study area. At the same
time, the researchers suggested some mitigation practices to the conflict of
human-elephant in the study area which is highly implementable practices for the
public and authorized people according to the review of traditional and modern
techniques.
