Amparai elephant dies ... having gulped down shopping bags

Amparai elephant dies ... having gulped down shopping bags

The death of the elephant which died at the Pallekadu Garbage Management Unit belonging to Amparai Addalavanai area had been caused as a result of consuming polythene together with other waste material, Veterinary Surgeon Nihal Pushpakumara of Eastern Province Wild Life Health Management Unit said.

This elephant aged about 10 years with a height of about 8 inches

had been found collapsed within Pallekadu Garbage Management Unit in a sickly condition last 23rd and was treated for 2 days and the Veterinary Surgeon had informed that no wound or injury was detected from outside. He further mentioned that this sick elephant had died by 28th and what was observed at the post mortem was that its stomach was found loaded with waste material. He pointed out that accordingly poisonous material are brought and dumped there and such things involuntarily are consumed and therefore poisonous substances too could enter their bodies.

He then mentioned that parts of plant life are to be seen in the alimentary canal of a wild elephant; but where this elephant was concerned, no such plant life were to be observed. Wild elephants hovering around Amparai Buddhagala Garbage Management Unit and elephants around Pallekadu Garbage Management Unit are thus exposed to this risk. He finally stated that the reason for deaths of a large number of wild elephants around these areas is the result of feeding on garbage.