Saturday, 24 May 2014 00:00
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Recently, there were indications that Rambo, the familiar elephant who frequents the Udawalawe bund, would become a threat to people and there were some tentative thoughts of translocating him.
However, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) decided to put up boards, warning the public not to feed this elephant and informing that this a punishable offence. In this manner it is hoped that Rambo would ‘grow out’ of this habit of soliciting food from passersby, when there is no positive reinforcement.
LTL Projects Ltd., one of Sri Lanka’s leading, internationally-acclaimed electrical engineering companies, readily came forward to sponsor the construction of 12 boards to be erected along the bund of the Udawalawe reservoir, as a part of its ongoing social responsibility interventions.
These boards carry a clear message in both English and Sinhalese, advising people that feeding this elephant is a punishable offence. It is hoped that this in some way will help mitigate the current problem.
The advertising company, 5th Elephant, did the design for the board free of charge.
The whole project was coordinated by Srilal Miththapala, elephant enthusiast and activist, who has followed Rambo and his ‘antics’ for the past 15 years in Udawalawe, in close consultation with the DWC. Miththpalais also a Consultant at LTL Holdings.
