You might have read the headlines last January in which two elephants in Sri Lanka died after ingesting plastic. This is not the first time. According to the Sri Lankan news outlet NewsWave.lk, “around 20 elephants have died over the last eight years after consuming plastic trash in the dump in Pallakkadu village in the Ampara district. [Sri Lanka]” (Read full article here)
So why is this happening? In short: their food sources are scarce and they’re losing their habitat. This habitat loss is driving them ever closer to human settlements. The elephants’ natural diet, consisting of fresh fodder, specific trees, plants and branches, are no longer accessible to them. Instead, styrofoam, plastic, diapers and anything that they can put into their bodies to feed themselves is what has become their daily food source, often indigestible, sharp or toxic, causing serious internal damage.
#1 Elephants Teach Other Elephants What to Eat
A herd of elephants in Sri Lanka finding food in the worst of conditions. Image from: Newswave.lk Jan. 26 2022
Elephants are herbivores. They get the knowledge from their mothers and the older members of their herd on which plants to eat. An average of 300 pounds of food a day is what Asian elephants eat. Their diet consists of roots, fruits, bark, leaves.
A poor Asian elephant lies in the dumpster in Sri Lanka after ingesting trash - its only source of food. Image credit: newswave.lk January 26th, 2022
But lack of food sources is not the only threat these majestic sentient beings are confronting. Elephants are kidnapped as babies, separated from their mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers forever. It is estimated that over 10,000 Asian elephants are living in captivity, doomed to a lifetime of beatings and hardship, carrying tourists on their backs -every single day- often without food or water on the hot sun.
#2 Elephants Are Spending Hours Eating from Dumpsters
Elephants in the Ampara District in Sri Lanka have been seen eating from the dumpster for hours and hours at a time. Aside from what this does to their digestive system, you can imagine how much this affects them mentally and emotionally. The New York Times wrote: “(…) studies have shown that elephants have more scent receptors than any other mammal” With such putrid smells, elephants are sacrificing their wellbeing and health for toxic waste that they can put into their stomachs.
The expansion of the landfill as well as the development of the communities have decreased their natural habitat where the proper food used to be found.
#3 Sri Lanka has the highest death toll of elephants
The BBC reported in 2019 that elephants in Sri Lanka are often seen as pests. Many farmers are encroaching in their territory, driving them out of their environment and forcing them to relocate, often coming in conflict with humans.
These elephants who are losing their home are going into the dumpsters that are located within those wildlife areas. Over 300 Asian elephants roam around these lands in search of food.
What can you do?
Elephants in Sri Lanka are often seen as pests by local farmers. They have lost their habitat and now they’re forced to look for food in the dumpster. Indigestible, sharp or toxic waste, cause serious internal damage. Many have died already. Image: Shutterstock
The plight of Asian elephants is not new. In the past decade there have been more initiatives demanding change as well as more organizations and celebrities exposing this cause. Save The Asian Elephants is a British NGO that focuses on the cause of endangered and exploited elephants in Asia.
For years, STAE has been working closely with a myriad of influential people in the Government, environmental causes, animal welfare and world renowned celebrities. Change is on its way. Over 1M people have signed STAE’s online petition to end cruelty to elephants used for touristy entertainment by banning adverts for brutal venues.
Another challenge that elephants face is their loss of freedom and continued beatings and brutal training to make them perform and work for tourists. Image: Surya Deepak
Thanks to celebrities like Evanna Lynch, Cher and Leonardo DiCaprio, the agony of Asian elephants has received more media attention. Always a good thing.
STAE’s CEO, Duncan McNair states:
”The tragedy of Asian elephants forced by reckless habitat destruction into deadly rubbish dumps to feed is one of many horrors they face in Sri Lanka and across SE Asia as they enter a desperate struggle for survival. The species is on a path of no return to extinction. STAE is urging countries everywhere whose markets promote unethical tourism to act now. UK’s government has promised a ban on advertising of venues abroad where baby elephants are tortured to “break their spirits” for tourism. It should happen now. Please support us:
http://bit.ly/STAEpetition - STAE's change.org petition
Donate to STAE - donate page
STAE in touch - contact STAE
If in the UK:
WRITETOYOURMP-STAE - MP letter template
WritetoLordGoldsmith - Lord Goldsmith letter template “
STAE is urging countries everywhere whose markets promote unethical tourism to act now.
“The species is on a path of no return to extinction.”
Other ways you can help is by sharing this blog article or signing the petition “Desperate elephants are foraging for food in landfills, dying from ingested plastic along the way” on The Petition Site.
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Thank you for being here.
Di
