Elephants beyond the boundaries: A geographical assessment of elephants’ movements outside the Udawalawe national park

Abstract

Udawalawe National Park (UNP) in the Southern Wildlife Region (SWR) is not only very famous for its biodiversity and its elephants (Elephas maximus maximus) but also for the unfavourable Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) prevalent around the park. Entry of elephants into the farming fields, damaging the crops and property, occasional injuries and death to both humans and elephants are common features beyond the UNP. The objective of this research is to identify how the push and pull factors contribute to elephants' invasion of villages, farmlands and HEC beyond the Eastern boundary of the UNP. UNP and the Eastern Udawalawe National Park (EUNP) have been selected as the study site for this research. Purposive sampling has been employed as one of the main techniques to collect data from targeted respondents. Particularly, a questionnaire survey, in depth interviews with farmers using semi-structured questions, key informant interviews with park officers and with Safari Jeep drivers were conducted. Collected data were analyzed using Content Analyzing Methods, Microsoft MS Excel and GIS. High concentrated human activities (17%) play a major role as major push factors for elephants' entry into the farming fields. Besides, lack of carrying capacity inside the park (05%), the attraction of crops beyond the EUNP (28%), restriction of elephants' home range (30%), dangerous chasing techniques followed by the people beyond the EUNP (11%) and management related issues of the UNP (09%) acts as significant roles in pushing the elephants from the park beyond the EUNP and for HEC.