Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population has risen to an estimated 7,451 animals, according to the latest nationwide elephant survey conducted by the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 2024, Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi said.
Speaking on the findings, the minister said the survey showed a significant increase in the country’s elephant population compared with previous counts conducted over the past three decades. Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population stood at 1,967 in 1993, before rising to 5,879 in the 2011 census.
“The 2024 elephant survey has reported that there are at least 7,451 wild elephants in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the elephant population has increased by about 26.7%,” Patabendi said.
He also noted that the number of tuskers — male elephants carrying tusks — had increased by 9.2%. “The population of tuskers has increased by 9.2%, and overall, we can clearly see growth in Sri Lanka’s elephant population,” the minister said.
Sri Lanka holds one of the largest concentrations of Asian elephants in the world. The headline figure is set against an escalating human-elephant conflict toll, with 128 wild elephant deaths and 35 human fatalities recorded between January and mid-May 2026 alone. The Ministry of Environment has also recently moved to formally gazette three new elephant corridors and to free up three corridor areas at Wetahirakanda, Hadapanagala and Koholankala to ease the conflict pressure.
