Sri Lanka Launches Wildlife Census to Address Crop Damage by Animals
As farmers across Sri Lanka voice concerns over significant agricultural losses, the government initiated a wildlife census on Saturday to assess the populations of giant squirrels, peacocks, and monkeys. The move aims to develop strategies to manage these animals, which have been increasingly damaging crops.
Agriculture is a vital sector in Sri Lanka, employing 8.1 million people and contributing 8% to the national GDP, according to government data. The country is also the world’s fourth-largest exporter of coconut products and produces approximately 3 billion cashews and other nuts annually, as reported by the Exports Development Board (EDB).
However, coconut production, along with vegetable and fruit cultivation, has been severely impacted by crop destruction caused by monkeys, peacocks, and giant squirrels.
“The situation has become so dire that many farmers are abandoning their fields. We are losing around 20% of total agricultural output, with an estimated 90 million coconuts destroyed each year,” said Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, in an interview with Reuters.
“The census is the first step toward understanding the density of these animals in farming areas. This will help us formulate effective policies to manage their populations,” he added.
The census follows a recent incident in February when a monkey caused a nationwide blackout, resulting in power cuts that lasted three days.
Edirisinghe Arachchilage Gnanasena, a 72-year-old farmer from Dambulla in central Sri Lanka, participated in the census. In just five minutes, he counted 45 monkeys, six giant squirrels, and nine peacocks on his eight-acre farm, which has suffered crop losses for years.
Armed with an air gun and lead pellets, Gnanasena spends hours patrolling his carefully cultivated rows of coconut, mango, and banana trees. Despite his efforts, troops of monkeys continue to strip trees of coconuts and mangoes, while peacocks devour long beans.
“Monkeys have grown accustomed to the air gun, so I use firecrackers to scare them away. But they always return,” Gnanasena explained.
Farmers attribute the rising numbers of monkeys, peacocks, porcupines, and wild boars to habitat loss caused by human activities.
“I hope this census leads to long-term solutions. That’s what we need,” Gnanasena said. “This isn’t the fault of the animals. It’s the fault of humans.”
The census marks a critical step in addressing the growing conflict between wildlife and agriculture, with the goal of balancing ecological preservation and farmers’ livelihoods.
