Elephant tourism in Sri Lanka
White sandy beaches, ancient temples, and spectacular wildlife draw in scores of tourists to Sri Lanka. The country hosted more than 1,487,303 international tourists in 2023, with that number expected to grow by half a million by the end of 2024. From its roots as a center for seafaring over the last 2500 years, Sri Lanka’s rich culture is a melting pot, a beautiful mix of indigenous customs and relics from past colonial empires. But what draws many tourists to Sri Lanka is the island’s impressive wildlife, like the tremendous groups of elephants that gather in Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks annually from June to September. With more than 6000 elephants roaming the island, elephants can be spotted freely ranging from the pristine countryside to the outskirts of bustling cities.
Tourists may be attracted by low travel costs, spending an average of $50-$60 USD a day to encompass housing, meals, and travel around the country. Guest house staff, guides, and locals specialize in knowing which parks have the greatest concentration of elephants. Guided, private trips through the Sri Lankan parks dense with elephant herds costs as little as $13 USD. With the setting good for viewing wild elephants, what’s wrong with this idealistic picture?
With more tourists than ever visiting, there has been increased evidence of human proximity causing stress to elephants. The Sri Lanka Elephant Project (SLEP) is tackling the complex nuances surrounding wild elephant tourism . “Many tourists enjoy viewing charismatic species, and so it is important that we monitor the impact that tourists’ activities have on the welfare of individual animals,” says SLEP Executive Director, Dr. Chase LaDue. Elephants in Sri Lanka live among human-dominated environments, even in parks. The way tourists behave as they travel through the park affects the daily lives of elephants.
With the growing popularity of posting photos to social media depicting close encounters with wildlife, it is important to consider how these interactions may compromise the safety and wellbeing of both animals and people. “In Sri Lanka, direct interactions, like touching or feeding, with wildlife in protected areas are prohibited, but there is no effective mechanism to prevent people from interacting with elephants outside of these areas,” explains Dr. LaDue. With an increased likelihood of elephant-human conflict as tourists encroach on their natural habitat, it’s more important now than ever to know the appropriate behaviors to be a responsible eco-tourist. When approaching a group of elephants in your vehicle, please keep a distance of at least 10 meters. Use quiet voices when talking to each other, and if possible, turn off your vehicle’s engine when you are viewing elephants. “Our research has shown that when vehicles are within 10 meters, elephants are more likely to show signs of stress and abandon their normal behavioral patterns,” says Dr. LaDue. For the benefit of the elephants and prime wildlife viewing, there shouldn't be more than five vehicles at a sighting at any one time. If there are too many vehicles, ask your driver to move away. Relaxed elephants will show natural behaviors, including feeding, bathing, and socializing with each other.
Amidst rising threats of habitat deforestation and fragmentation, Asian elephants are endangered and declining in number. Sri Lanka reported a staggering one elephant death a day in the first three months of 2023, half of which were human caused. By the end of last year, 470 elephants were killed, more than twice the amount reported in 2010. They are being pushed into smaller areas as residential, commercial, and farmland development increase the risk for human-elephant conflict. But this can change.
Responsible wildlife tourism has the power to transform these trends by protecting fragile habitats, fostering environmental awareness, and safeguarding vulnerable wildlife. Done correctly, it can educate the general public, help legislatures make more informed decisions about environmental protections supporting elephants, and provide incentive to local communities to protect natural landscapes. Look for tours that respect elephant space. Ask about this before you book! Avoid operators that harass elephants, boxing them in with high numbers of vehicles and approaching the elephant too closely. Do your part to help protect the endangered Asian elephant during your next visit to Sri Lanka by encouraging tour operators to engage in responsible wildlife tourism and rejecting unethical and unnatural elephant encounters. Together, we can help secure a healthy future for the endangered Asian elephant.
This blog post was written by Olivia Johnson, Senior Animal Caretaker at Oklahoma City Zoo.
