by Anura Guruge
on April 20, 204
I am am recording it, but I am not sure whether I will be able to watch it in its entirety. It might be TOO distressing. I know the situation is dire — & not getting better. This is an issue very close to my heart.
Way back, when I was in my late teens, I had this plan that when I was 30, I was going to liquidate everything I had in the West, go back home to Ceylon, and (using our family contacts & clout) get a ‘job’ looking after the elephants. That was in the 1970s. I knew then that the elephants needed help. Well, none of that happened. I, as with all things in my life, FAILED — & failed miserably.
Sri Lankans have an unusual confused & conflicted relationship with our elephants. We have FOUR (4) types of elephants in Sri Lanka (nee Ceylon). Temple, Working, Tourist & WILD. In theory we are supposed to (literally) worship the Temple elephants. Many think they do, BUT we are rather unkind to them. Working elephants don’t do too bad. Tourist elephants get some abuse. The real problem is the WILD elephants. They get short shrift. That is what this CNN documentary will be about.
Just wanted to make sure you knew of this. OK?
