Park closed as thirsty elephants see red

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka has closed its biggest wildlife reserve because a severe drought has dried up watering holes and left wild elephants thirsty, angry and ready to charge, park officials say.


The Yala National Park in the southeast of the Indian Ocean island is a major tourist magnet for its varied wildlife, and is home to leopards, crocodiles and monkeys.


"We have closed the park for one month because of the drought. There's a threat that the wild elephants could charge if tourists get in their way," said park warden Sunimal Tissera.


Park officers said the animals had lost weight and "look very tired and stressed out".


Asian elephants, unlike their larger and more aggressive African cousins, are generally even-tempered and are domesticated as working animals throughout Asia.


Local newspapers reported this week that a farmer was killed by an elephant which had wandered on to his land in search of food and water, but such attacks are rare.


Droughts are increasingly frequent in Sri Lanka. The latest has affected 1.6 million people, or about 10 percent of the population, forcing the government to rush lorries full of water to remote villages and distribute emergency food rations.


One such water lorry is now being sent to the Yala reserve five times a day to quench the animals' thirst, one park officer said.

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