This war between elephants and farmers is only getting worse : NPR

Key Points:

• Farmers in Sri Lanka's central district of Matale face escalating and deadly conflicts with elephants raiding their fields, a situation worsened by rising fuel and fertilizer costs linked to the Mideast war.
• Elephant fatalities in Sri Lanka nearly doubled from 255 in 2011 to 488 in 2023, while attacks on farmers more than tripled, driven by intensified farming practices and shrinking natural habitats for elephants.
• Improved irrigation has enabled multiple annual crops, attracting elephants to nutrient-rich fields, leading to an "arms race" where farmers use firecrackers, torches, and sometimes lethal methods to deter elephants despite legal protections.
• Government efforts include "elephant drives" to corral elephants into national parks, but these measures are often ineffective as elephants learn to bypass fences and are compelled to seek food near villages due to saturated forest habitats.
• Farmers endure multiple crises including fertilizer bans, fuel price surges, and natural disasters, leading to desperate measures to protect crops, while some also turn to traditional religious offerings seeking protection for both their livelihoods and the elephants.