3.3 Meters: The Height of Kavantissa, the Bull Who Died by Gunfire
Sri Lanka's tallest living male elephant died on October 16 after a leg wound, a loss that underscores the persistent tension between a growing rural population and the island's dense elephant herd.
By Leila Reynolds ·
Kavantissa stood 3.3 meters tall and weighed 5,500 kilograms. He was the tallest living male elephant in Sri Lanka. On October 16, he died after a gunshot wound to his right leg.
The bull, believed to be about 45 years old, roamed the northwest of the country near the village of Galgamuwa. His size made him a local landmark. In late September, villagers noticed him limping. A closer examination revealed the bullet wound. Veterinary surgeons treated the injury, but Kavantissa did not survive.
His death places the human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka under a sharper light. The island has the highest density of Asian elephants in the world, holding about 10% of the global population on just 2% of their natural range. The Sri Lankan elephant is listed as an endangered subspecies on the IUCN Red List.
Official figures show that since 2019, an average of 370 elephants and 125 people have died each year in violent encounters. These clashes typically happen when elephants raid crops and push into farmland. The Department of Wildlife Conservation estimated there are 7,451 wild elephants on the island, with about 70% living outside protected areas. Each animal needs roughly 150 kilograms of green matter daily, pulling them toward agricultural land.
Ravi Corea, president of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, attributes the conflict to habitat loss and agricultural expansion. He notes that the rural population grew from 8.25 million in 1960 to 17.8 million in 2020. As farming remains the primary source of income, land continues to be cleared. Corea says crop losses threaten a rural family's main source of food, a pressure he argues distinguishes this conflict from those in wealthier nations.
He criticized the current management, noting that while a national action plan drafted in 2020 provides a foundation, it lacks a comprehensive conservation strategy with enforceable habitat protection. Despite government efforts, he said, the numbers of deaths are still rising.
Kamal Shashendra, an environmental ethics researcher based in Sri Lanka, stated that a just solution must protect human lives, livelihoods, and elephant populations simultaneously. He advocated for scientifically informed land-use planning, protected corridors, and fair compensation for affected families. He emphasized the need for effective early-warning systems to prevent confrontations.
Community programs are being tested as alternatives. In the Wasgamuwa region, Project Orange Elephant encourages farmers to grow citrus trees that elephants avoid. This provides extra income while reducing crop raiding. An electric bus service called EleFriendly carries schoolchildren through elephant corridors, a measure that has reduced dangerous encounters along its original route by more than 90%.
