Sri Lankan Train Rammed into Elephant Herd, Kills Six in Catastrophic Wildlife Accident

A Sri Lankan passenger train derailed on Thursday when it crashed into a herd of elephants along the Habarana region, killing six elephants, including three baby elephants. The train was traveling near a wildlife reserve when the accident occurred early this morning. Luckily, nobody on board train was injured, but two other elephants were seriously injured.

The accident has received attention as many elephants died. It is common in Sri Lanka to read or hear of elephants being run over by trains, but the large number here raised eyebrows. The government is also trying in a new way to reduce such incidents, as previously made attempts at reducing the frequency, such as reducing train speed, have not worked.

The national icons of Sri Lanka are the elephants, and harming them is a criminal act. There are about 7,000 wild elephants in Sri Lanka. The deaths occur while there is mounting concern regarding man-wild elephant conflicts, and authorities have been trying to develop strategies like using electric fences to keep the elephants away from settlements and farms.