🐘 August 11 2026

August 11, 2026

The Elephant News Service is provided by Save the Elephants for elephant lovers, scientists and conservationists who want to stay informed on the latest elephant news from reputable media sources worldwide. The stories are presented in no particular order.

Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka), August 10, 2026

For 65 years, Sri Lanka’s human-elephant conflict (HEC) policy has rested on a single premise: that elephants can be confined inside Protected Areas (PAs). They cannot. Seventy per cent of the country’s elephant population ranges outside PAs, and the PAs themselves are at or near their carrying capacity. The 2020 National Action Plan for the Mitigation of human-elephant conflict (NAP) recognised this and set out a different framework: manage elephants inside and outside PAs and use fences to separate people from elephants rather than to imprison the animals.

Antara (Indonesia), August 10, 2026

The Indonesian government is determined to act following the series of elephant deaths in Sumatra, with Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni promising a thorough evaluation of the current biodiversity and ecosystem administration. "This morning, I received a message from Mr. Hashim who told me that another elephant has died at a plantation in Aceh," Antoni, referring to the President's Special Envoy for Climate and Energy Hasjim Djojohadikusumo, stated in Jakarta.

Mardinah Jikur, Daily Express (Malaysia), August 10, 2026

Assistance has been provided to night patrol teams keeping watch over three villages in Mukim Batu Puteh following the presence of wild elephants in the area. The assistance, comprising essential supplies, was presented on behalf of Kinabatangan MP Datuk Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar and Lamag assemblyman Mohd Ismail Ayob to Kampung Perpaduan Datuk Mohd Ugi Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman Azman Amirbek. Azman, who represented the night patrol teams, said the contribution would help those on duty to safeguard the village at night amid the elephant threat.

Kim You-jin, The Herald Business (South Korea), August 9, 2026

A herd of wild elephants wandered into a car charging station in China, and an adult was caught on camera shoving over a charging unit after a calf got its leg tangled in a charging cable. According to China's The Beijing News and other outlets, several wild elephants entered a car charging station in Pu'er, Yunnan Province. A calf in the group caught its leg in a charging cable. The young elephant managed to free itself, but an adult then moved toward the charging equipment.

India TodayNE (India), August 9, 2026

A herd of wild elephants has been roaming through villages and agricultural areas in Kheroni under the Southern Forest Range of Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district for several days, causing concern among local residents. The elephants have been moving through farmlands and nearby villages, raising fears among farmers over possible damage to standing crops and property. Residents under the Kheroni Police Station jurisdiction said the movement of the herd has disrupted normal activities, particularly during the evening and early morning hours.

Paul Nicodemus, The Hindu (India), August 9, 2026

Hundreds of school children from across the city took part in a mass awareness march on Beach Road on Sunday, organised as part of World Elephant Day 2026, observed globally on August 12. The march, from Kali Mata Temple to the YMCA, was organised by Visakha Valley School in collaboration with the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, under the aegis of the Project Elephant cell of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

ETV Bharat (India), August 9, 2026

A 48-year-old forest watcher was trampled to death by a wild elephant while on anti-poaching duty in Hunasebayalu forest area of Ponnachi zone of Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka's Chamarajanagara district. The deceased has been identified as Mahadevaswamy (48), a resident of Male Mahadeshwara Hills in Hanur taluk. He had been working as a forest watcher in the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary for around 20 years. Mahadevaswamy is survived by his wife and two children.

MUGUNTAN VANAR, The Star (Malaysia), August 10, 2026

Creating grassland tracts is the best option for mitigating human-elephant conflict on Sabah’s east coast, says conservationist Datuk Dr John Payne. The suggestion was raised by the executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) after discovering that endangered Borneo pygmy elephants are now “addicted” to oil palm as their staple food. “This eating pattern of our elephants needs to be changed. “Managed grasslands are the only option, being able to produce 100 times more fresh biomass edible to elephants per hectare annually,” he said.

Asian Elephant News