Centre for Conservation Research
CCR conducts scientific research to provide information necessary for better environmental conservation and management.
Their vision is world where the environment is managed for the benefit of all species and scientific knowledge is effectively used to prevent and mitigate detrimental effects of human actions on the environment.
Their work focuses on —————>
The human elephant conflict (HEC) is the primary issue for elephant conservation in Sri Lanka, and over much of Asia. Rapidly expanding human populations convert ever greater extents of land for development and agriculture, increasing the interaction between people and elephants, leading to a high level of HEC. Currently in Sri Lanka, HEC causes the death of around 160 elephants and 50 humans annually.
Current elephant conservation strategy in Sri Lanka is based on limiting elephants to protected areas. Research done by the Center for Conservation and Research has demonstrated that this strategy is biologically unsound, that its continuation will be detrimental to elephant conservation, and that it will not mitigate the HEC.
Current elephant conservation strategy in Sri Lanka is based on limiting elephants to protected areas. Research done by the Center for Conservation and Research has demonstrated that this strategy is biologically unsound, that its continuation will be detrimental to elephant conservation, and that it will not mitigate the HEC. CCR has also shown that traditional land use practices and elephant range outside the protected areas are critical for elephant conservation. To that end, CCR has proposed a new elephant management strategy to manage elephants outside protected areas. The strategy provides a holistic and multidisciplinary elephant conservation strategy which also involves and benefits local communities.
DR. PRUTHU FERNANDO, founder of Centre For Conservation Research
“The Abraham Foundation has supported the Centre for Conservation and Research since 2010. We conduct research on elephant ecology, behavior and management, to ensure the conservation of Asian elephants in Sri Lanka for posterity. A significant extent of our work addresses human-elephant conflict mitigation. We assess current techniques, develop new methods, pilot test and facilitate their implementation at relevant scales through appropriate agencies. We advocate a human-elephant coexistence model as the best approach to conflict mitigation. Our projects range from national policy initiatives to working with communities.
The Abraham Foundation has been a major factor in what progress we have made towards our goal of making this a better world for elephants and the people that have to contend with them.”
