Call for national guidelines on elephants as perahera demand outstrips supply

By The Pulseline News Desk

With Sri Lanka’s annual calendar of religious pageants placing increasing pressure on the country’s dwindling population of domesticated elephants, Sri Dalada Maligawa Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela has called for a national consensus on how the animals should be used in peraheras and other ceremonial duties.

Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Sri Lanka Elephant Conservation Summit 2026 at the University of Peradeniya, the Diyawadana Nilame has said the debate over the use of elephants must move beyond competing opinions and towards practical, agreed guidelines that balance cultural traditions with animal welfare.

Pointing to the growing mismatch between demand and availability, he noted that Sri Lanka currently has only about 93 domesticated elephants, including tuskers, to serve nearly 400 peraheras held across the country each year.

“The time has come to reach a consensus on guidelines regarding the use of elephants in peraheras and other tasks,” he said.

Nilanga Dela, who also serves as President of the Domesticated Elephants Association, has said elephants have occupied a revered place in Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition for centuries. While acknowledging the differing views surrounding their use, he stressed that elephants have symbolised profound religious and cultural values since the time of Lord Buddha.

“They are here to stay,” he has said, underscoring the need to ensure their future through responsible stewardship rather than polarising debate.

The summit comes at a time when the use of elephants in religious processions has become an increasingly contentious issue. Animal welfare groups have repeatedly called for stricter regulations governing captive elephants, citing concerns over welfare, working conditions and ownership practices. Religious institutions and cultural organisations, meanwhile, argue that elephants remain an integral part of centuries-old traditions, particularly the country’s historic peraheras.

Against this backdrop, the call for nationally agreed guidelines is likely to renew discussions on how Sri Lanka can preserve its cultural heritage while strengthening conservation and welfare standards for domesticated elephants.

The inaugural summit was organised by Professor Ashok Dangolla of the University of Peradeniya with the support of several organisations and conservation groups, bringing together stakeholders to discuss the future of elephant conservation and management in Sri Lanka.