Tusker Bathiya's death and future of conservation

Bathiya was a revered wild tusker who roamed the forests of Kalawewa and Polpithigama in Sri Lanka's North Western Province.

- BY THARINDU MUTHUKUMARANA

His tragic death on July 15, 2025, following severe injuries, sparked national reflection on wildlife conservation and the urgent need for systemic reform.

So, let's crack down on the code on Bathiya’s plight. His tragic journey began when he suffered the devastating blow of a trap gun injury. Following the first phase of treatment, Bathiya was tragically shot behind his ear for the second time. After some time, passes by, he gets many complications, and he succumbs to those injuries. Bathiya’s ordeal sequence prompts us to ask, "What lessons does his experience convey for conservation policy and practice?"

Victim of a trap gun

Trap guns are illicit homemade guns that are mostly used for poaching animals for bush meat, as well as for crop protection. Usually, those guns are not targeted at elephants, but when elephants become victims of them, usually their legs get injured. Such injuries can be fatal, as those injuries don’t just disable; they can lead to prolonged suffering and death if not treated swiftly and properly. Elephants spend most of their time standing up. They carry most of their body weight on their front legs. A wound here can make standing or walking nearly impossible. Even without visible bleeding, bullets can cause deep tissue trauma, nerve damage, and muscle degeneration. Open wounds, especially in muddy or unsanitary conditions, can quickly become septic. Once an elephant can’t stand, circulation suffers, leading to organ failure and death.

Trap guns haven't only claimed the lives of animals; even humans have suffered injuries or succumbed to death as a result of these devices. Such incidents highlight that trap guns pose a serious threat to national security. In Bathiya’s case, it’s difficult to discern the true intention behind the person who set that trap. But it signifies the lack of patrolling done in that area to detect such traps.

Shot behind Bathiya’s ear