Please Save The Sri Lankan Elephants

Chinese banks have approved the funding of freeways in Sri Lanka from Kandy to Jaffna in the North and in the Southern part of Sri Lanka. These freeways will sever elephant corridors that allow migration between the remaining pockets of forest habitat. The freeways will also cause an increase in collisions between vehicles and elephants. These freeways are being built on a small island with little need for freeways.

These freeways are essentially being built for the Chinese military. The Chinese have already funded an international airport and port in Matalla and Hambantota, in Southern Sri Lanka at a heavy cost to the environment. The airport at Mattala gets little use and is essentially being built for Chinese military use. This airport was built in the middle of an Elephant and bird reserve and now the birds and elephants are being denied water in order to chase them away. The Southern freeway is being built to link the port and the Northern freeway to the airport.

Please urge the Sri Lankan and Chinese governments to consider the welfare of the Sri Lankan elephant and elevate parts of the freeways to allow continued elephant migration.



http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120701/news/victims-of-callousness-4941.html

http://colombogazette.com/2013/05/28/expressway-to-jaffna-with-chinese-aid/

http://www.eurasiareview.com/18042013-sri-lanka-denying-water-to-animals-at-mattala-airport-is-morally-indefensible-and-defiles-national-image-oped/

http://www.defence.pk/forums/chinese-defence/26043-chinese-naval-base-sri-lanka.html