He stressed his point at a discussion chaired by president Maithripala Sirisena on May 31, lankaenews.com reports.
The meeting was intended to discuss measures to preserve the country’s culture of pageants in the face of a shortage of tame elephants.
At present, 17 elephants and tuskers are in the custody of the wildlife conservation department, while the persons who had kept them without licenses are remanded.
The Colombo court has issued an injunction against a magisterial order to handover these elephants to the owners in order for their participation in pageants.
Dr. Pilapitiya said at the meeting in response that he disapproved of the magisterial decision, noting that elephants are a world heritage and could not be reared as domestic pets.
The president spoke of short and long term solutions, and said that in the short term, tamed elephants not in the department custody could be used for the pageants.
Also, attention has been drawn to import elephants from Burma.
Dr. Pilapitiya is considered one of the 10 topmost wildlife experts in the world.
Before accepting the present position, he was a World Bank manager on wildlife projects, a highly-paid position.
Following requests made by prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe twice to organize the department that had been made a jumble by the Rajapaksas, he agreed to accept the low-paid position.
Related articles:
