A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court, urging authorities to develop a comprehensive plan to mitigate the rising number of elephant-train collisions in Sri Lanka.

The petition was submitted by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), along with its Chairman and Executive Director, naming several high-ranking officials as respondents, including the Director General of Wildlife Conservation, the Railways General Manager, the Inspector General of Police, and the Ministers of Transport, Environment, and Wildlife.

The petitioners seek a court order directing the respondents to collaborate in implementing mitigation measures, such as improving train driver visibility by clearing undergrowth along railway tracks under the supervision of the Department of Forest and Wildlife. They highlight that elephant deaths due to train accidents are a serious conservation and ecological issue, posing a threat to Sri Lanka’s biodiversity and cultural heritage.

The petitioners emphasize the critical status of the Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus), a unique subspecies of the Asian elephant found exclusively within the country’s borders. Historically revered in Sri Lanka’s cultural, religious, and ecological landscape, the species now faces severe threats, including habitat destruction, human-elephant conflict, and illegal exploitation.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Asian elephant as endangered, warning of the species’ imminent risk of extinction. The Sri Lankan subspecies, which is the largest among Asian elephants, has suffered significant population declines. Government estimates suggest fewer than 7,000 elephants remain in the wild, though conservationists believe the actual number is likely much lower due to habitat destruction and ineffective conservation measures.

Sri Lanka ranks among the countries with the highest recorded elephant mortality rates. Studies indicate that approximately 70% of wild elephants roam outside protected areas, leading to increased human-wildlife conflict. According to a 2011 survey, Sri Lanka’s elephant population was estimated at around 5,879, but data from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) suggests that the population has declined by nearly 65% since the 19th century.

The petition underscores the urgent need to address train-related elephant deaths, which have reached alarming levels. Petitioners argue that these accidents are not just an environmental issue but also a national crisis affecting the country’s ecological balance, tourism, and cultural identity.

As a keystone species, elephants play a crucial role in maintaining forest ecosystems. Their loss would have cascading environmental, socio-economic, and cultural consequences. The petition urges authorities to take immediate action, citing the failure to implement effective strategies to prevent collisions despite multiple incidents in recent years.

As a result, the petitioners call upon the Supreme Court to:

• Grant leave to proceed with the application and issue notice to the respondents.
• Declare that the respondents have violated the Fundamental Rights of the petitioners and Sri Lankan citizens under Article 12(1) of the Constitution by failing to take adequate conservation measures.
• Recognize that the failure to mitigate elephant-train collisions infringes upon rights guaranteed under Article 14(1)(g) of the Constitution.