Kavantissa, Sri Lanka's record-height bull, dies after leg wound

Kavantissa, the tallest living male elephant in Sri Lanka, died on October 16 after sustaining a gunshot wound to his right leg. The animal, estimated to be 45 years old, had become a local landmark in the village of Galgamuwa in the country's northwest. His death marks the loss of a specific individual who stood roughly 3.3 meters, or 11 feet, high and weighed approximately 5,500 kilograms.

Villagers first noticed the tusker limping in late September. A closer inspection revealed the bullet wound on his right leg. Veterinary surgeons moved in to treat the animal, but the injury proved fatal. The incident adds to a growing list of violent encounters between humans and elephants on the island.

Sri Lanka records more elephant deaths annually than any other country. It also reports the second-highest number of human fatalities from these conflicts globally. Official figures indicate that since 2019, an average of 370 elephants and 125 people have died each year in such incidents. These collisions typically occur when elephants raid crops or push into farmland.

The island supports about 10% of the world's Asian elephants while covering only 2% of their natural range. This gives Sri Lanka the highest density of the species anywhere. The Sri Lankan elephant is listed as an endangered subspecies on the IUCN Red List. National law protects the animals, with fines and jail terms for wildlife offenses, yet experts say they are still shot, poisoned, hit by trains, or killed by explosives hidden in food.

Forest cover has shrunk as the population has grown. The rural population rose from 8.25 million in 1960 to 17.8 million in 2020. Because farming remains the main source of income in these areas, land continues to be cleared for agriculture. The Department of Wildlife Conservation estimated that 7,451 wild elephants lived in Sri Lanka in 2024. About 70% of them reside outside protected areas. Each animal requires roughly 150 kilograms of green matter daily, which pulls them toward fields.

Ravi Corea, president of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, identifies habitat loss and agricultural expansion as primary drivers of the conflict. He notes that fragmented elephant corridors and competition for land exacerbate the situation. Crop losses threaten the main source of food and income for rural families, a dynamic that distinguishes this conflict from wildlife disputes in wealthier nations. Corea states that while a national action plan drafted in 2020 provides a foundation, it requires a comprehensive conservation strategy with enforceable habitat protection to be effective.

Community programs run by non-governmental groups offer potential solutions. Corea points to Project Orange Elephant in the Wasgamuwa region, which encourages farmers to grow citrus trees that elephants avoid. This approach cuts crop raiding while providing extra income. Electric fencing also protects settlements and farmland in the area.

In the same region, the EleFriendly bus service carries schoolchildren through elephant corridors. In some cases, confrontations had discouraged children from walking to school. The bus service has reduced dangerous encounters along its original route by more than 90%. Kamal Shashendra, an environmental ethics researcher based in Sri Lanka, argues that any just solution must protect human lives, livelihoods, and elephant populations simultaneously.

Shashendra says this requires scientifically informed land-use planning, protected corridors, and community-based fencing. He also emphasizes the need for effective early-warning systems and fair compensation for affected families. The death of Kavantissa highlights the ongoing strain between expanding human settlements and the shrinking habitat of the island's largest wild mammals.