Activists protest the killing of elephants on Colombo

A large number of protesters are gathering in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on October 18, 2023, to protest against the recent deaths of elephants in the wild. They are urging for tighter laws against the killing of elephants and for the protection of elephant habitats and processes. The protesters are advising the government to develop a national action plan to improve the conflict between people and elephants. They are charging that the human-elephant conflict has recently intensified, with incidents reported in eight provinces, 19 districts, and 131 divisional secretariat divisions. The protesters are urging authorities to ban the use of jaw exploding traps (hakka patas) among villagers, which have killed 651 wild elephants in recent times. (Footage by Akila Jayawardana/NurPhoto via Getty Images)