Train has a crash in Sri Lanka - six elephants dead

Train has a crash in Sri Lanka - six elephants dead

in Sri Lanka there was a tragic incident on Wednesday evening when a train collided with an elephant herd and at least six animals were killed, the Sri lankas .

injured animals and fast reactions

Although no passengers were injured, an injured elephant and a calf by wildlife veterinary officers in the city are treated in Giritale, as the state newspaper Daily News reported on Thursday. The Meenagaya train hit the herd around 11:30 p.m. when it reached the 140 km point between the Minneriya and Galoya train stations.

Coordination of rescue measures

According to a message from the Wildlife Protection Department, officials from the railway company, the police and the wild animal authority quickly worked together to cope with the situation at the scene of the accident. Further investigations are underway to clarify the exact circumstances of the incident.

The importance of the elephants in Sri Lanka

How the World Wildlife Fund (wwf) Elephant Sri Lankas The largest and darkest representatives of the Asian elephant species. Her herds usually consist of 12 to 20 animals, with the oldest elephant leading the group. Elephants are an attractive tourist attraction and have both symbolic and economic importance for Sri Lanka. But coexistence with people remains a challenge because their habitats are threatened by human infrastructure and agricultural areas.

previous incidents and their consequences

Similar incidents occurred before. The Associated Press reported that at least two elephants died in October when a train that transported thousands of liters of fuel fuel in northwestern Sri Lankas in the city of Minneriya, which is about 200 km from the capital Colombo.

The attractiveness of the Minneriya National Park

The Minneriya Nationalpark is known for the largest assembled group of Asian elephants worldwide and attracts numerous tourists, as the park's website informs. According to the train leader, who spoke to the Associated Press, the herd of almost 20 elephants suddenly tried to cross the railway tracks. "It was about 10 meters between us. We couldn't do anything. We operated the brakes up to the maximum, but there wasn't much. Jayalath towards the Associated Press.