📊 Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 Plans Nationwide Elephant 🐘 Census

⭕️ The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) is set to conduct a comprehensive elephant census across Sri Lanka from August 17-19, employing over 3,100 survey centers.

⭕️ More than 3,100 participants, including DWC staff, volunteers, security forces, and students, will be involved in the count.

⭕️ The previous survey in 2011 recorded 5,879 elephants, with a breakdown of 55% adults, 25% young, 12% calves, and 6% infants.

⭕️The survey methodology involves counting elephants at identified water holes within a specific time period.

⭕️ This methodology has drawn criticism from environmentalists in the past, who argue that this method may lead to overestimation, as elephants typically visit multiple water sources in a single night, potentially resulting in repeat counts.

⭕️ However, this census aims to provide crucial insights into Sri Lanka's elephant population, supporting ongoing conservation efforts and wildlife management strategies.

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