Science Café: Decoding the Lives of Sri Lanka’s Elephants

In Sri Lanka’s North Central Province, expanding agriculture is increasing overlap between human settlements and elephant habitat. Elephants that forage on farm crops face retaliation from farmers protecting their livelihoods, making Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) one of the region’s most pressing conservation challenges. Yet not all elephants engage in crop raiding, and little is known about the characteristics that influence the likelihood of crop raiding. This talk presents ongoing research examining behavioral and genetic variation within the North Central Province’s elephant population to identify factors associated with conflict. This work aims to inform evidence-based conservation strategies and support coexistence between local communities and elephants. In Sri Lanka’s North Central Province, expanding agriculture is increasing overlap between human settlements and elephant habitat. Elephants that forage on farm crops face retaliation from farmers protecting their livelihoods, making Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) one of the region’s most pressing conservation challenges. Yet not all elephants engage in crop raiding, and little is known about the characteristics that influence the likelihood of crop raiding. This talk presents ongoing research examining behavioral and genetic variation within the North Central Province’s elephant population to identify factors associated with conflict.

Last updated October 28, 2026