DNA identification for tamed elephants

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) will launch a DNA-based identification system for tamed elephants in Sri Lanka, according to its Director General H.D. Ratnayake. “We will launch the program within a few months. We only need to finalise the decision on the laboratory facility,” Ratnayake said.

DWC officials who are now holding talks with Sri Lankan Universities and fully-fledged laboratories with DNA testing facilities hope to arrive at a decision soon. “A microchip with a specific code will also be implanted in these animals”, Ratnayake said.

“We have tried this only with tamed elephants owned by private parties. We are introducing this system to make identification more organised and accurate,” he said. The date to register domestic elephants expired by end April and DWC officials are conducting raids countrywide on owners who keep domesticated elephants illegally.

The DWC has accelerated the construction work on the Horowopothana Elephant holding ground for the conservation of wild elephants.

An elephant-holding ground will serve as a conservation centre where elephants facing a conflict situation with humans will be sheltered. “The electric fence around the Horowopothana holding ground is 18 kilometres. It will be set up with three barriers,” he said.

“The availability of water and food throughout the year for elephants to ensure their protection was considered when selecting sites for elephant-holding grounds,” Ratnayake said.

“If the need arises for additional food or water, we could provide them as they live in the conservation centre,” he said.

This would be one of the large scale projects for elephant conservation initiated by the DWC.

The main focus will be the setting up of two elephant holding grounds and a new conservation centre for orphaned elephant calves and juveniles, the sources said.