Train collides with elephant herd in Sri Lanka: Six animals die, two are injured

Two elephants were injured and are medically cared for. The locotive derailed, although all passengers remained unharmed on the train. Sri Lanka has one of the highest victims in the world in incidents between people and elephants. In 2024 alone, 170 people and 500 elephants had life in this, writes the BBC. Every year in Sri Lanka around 20 elephants die due to collisions with trains.

The increasing deforestation and decrease in natural habitats forcing elephants to increasingly enter areas where people live. In order to reduce the number of train collisions with elephants, train drivers should run more slowly and use their horn more often to warn animals that are or near the track.

In the same region, a pregnant elephant and two of its calves died in a collision with a train in 2018. Two elephants died last October when a train collided with a herd in nearby Minneriya.

Sri Lanka has around 7,000 wild elephants. The Buddhist majority regards them as holy. The animals are legally protected. Whoever kills an elephant risks a prison sentence and fine.