A wild elephant has died after consuming a jawbreaker also known as ‘hakka patas’ in Morawewa, Trincomalee. The elephant was found collapsed in the Morawewa D-9 zone.
The elephant, estimated to be around eight years old, is believed to have consumed the explosive device several days earlier and fallen seriously ill as a result.
Wildlife officials said the animal was unable to feed and had died by the time a veterinary surgeon arrived at the scene.
According to wildlife authorities, such traps are commonly used by poachers to kill wild boar, and it is suspected that the elephant was accidentally caught in one of these illegal traps.
The post-mortem examination was carried out under the guidance of Mahaweli Zone Wildlife Veterinary Surgeon, after which arrangements were made to bury the carcass.
