Elephants at Yala National park

Elephants at Yala National park

Elephants have been captured from the wild for thousands of years by man. For the most part of the world, the captured elephants were used within the country, but they were also traded or donated by rulers as a gesture of goodwill to improve diplomatic relations between countries.

The export of elephants from Sri Lanka dates back to 200 BC, when elephants were exported to India and other Asian countries from a port in Mannar and Galle. According to Sir James Emerson Tennant Galle was the "Tarshish" referred to in the Bible as the port where ships trading with King Soloman obtained their Elephants, Peacocks and Gemstones. Most certainly the place where the Galle Fort now stands as well as other areas in Galle like Unawatuna, Magalle, Kaluwella and even the China Gardens (which held a colony of Chinese traders several years ago) were all areas with historic connections which go back long before the Portuguese Era. 

The trading of elephants continued throughout the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial eras in mass scale. The earliest methods of elephant capture were by noosing, trapping in large pits or using intoxicating substances. However, these practices were banned in 1761 by the Dutch Governor Becker as they resulted in high mortality rates. After this, elephants were captured using kraals or kheddahs. The word “Kraal” is derived from the Portuguese word “curral” means cattle pen. This was entailed fencing in a large area where the wild elephants are living. Large tree logs used to demarcate the border and adequate water supply was a must. Mostly Kraals made of shape of “A”, like a funnel. Throngs of people with fire-crackers, fire torch, guns, tom-toms formed a ring; leaving an exit route only where they wanted elephants to drive  and make huge noise at  once  until the elephants were driven into the enclosure.

Later this became a ‘social event’; elephants brought to appoint at the entrance of the krall and kept until the ’official time’ to drive them. Three thousand men employed for two months to drove the elephants from thirty miles. In 1712, M.Wintergerst wrote “ men spread out around the region, and they slowly close in towards the kraal driving not only the elephants but also other animals, especially deer, wild pigs and tigers, which however, are trodden underfoot by the elephants as space is lessened.”

Tamed elephants assist capturing and tying up the elephants to the large trees which were within the stockade once the elephants are driven into the stockade. Taming process began after all the elephants secured.

During the Dutch period, they had to get permission from the King of Kandy to capture elephants. The King gave permission for 20 animals each year but the records shows that much larger numbers captured according to Deraniyagala, 1955.

1666: 96 captured in one kraal

1681:  Three kraals 13,104 and 270 captured in each

1690: 160 in one kraal

1697: 97 in one kraal

1705: Over 160 in single kraal

1779:  Two kraals 176 and 400 elephants

1801: 170 elephants captured from Udawalawe with official time of Governer  Fredrick North.

1805: 300 elephants

1849: 6 elephants

1863: 43 elephants in western province

1871: 28 elephants( Negombo and Veyangoda)

1892: In Galle Kottawa rainforest

1800 -1896 period 51 kraals were held mainly Kurunegala and Rathnapura districts ( F.H. Modder. 1898)

Elephant capturing at the kraal: (source; internet)

Also kraals conducted to witness for visiting royalties such as,

1860: German Princes

1870: The Duke of Edinburgh

1875: The Prices of Wales

1882: The Dukes of Clarence and York.

Even large number of elephants caught in most kraals, only some were taken for use of service and rest shot according to Sir Emmerson Tennent records.

Body of the Panamure patriarch elephant: (source; internet)

In 1944, kraal organized in Panamure and captured only one tusker, which died soon while capturing. With the failier of the first kraal another held in October, 1944, eleven elephants captured but taming was a problem due to heavy rain. There were 17 kraals held in Panamure during the period of 80 years ending 1950.

Captured elephants secured by tying in these logs.

The last kraal held in Panamure in 1950, where seventeen elephants captured. Fifteen of them were females. Leader patriarch of the herd was noosed and tethered. The adult bull falling  love  with females, became uncontrollable and , refused to leave behind its herd and continued to revolt against their captors until it was eventually shot dead.  The elephant, who later became icon known as the “Panamure eth Raja” This caused a huge public outcry, and led to a ban on kraals.

Panamure: current situation of the last kraal conducted in 1950

Maduwanwela Walawwa: Finally owned by Sir Francis Molamure who conducted last kraal at Panamure.

Eddys Expeditions: http://rainforestecotour.com

Team visited for the tour

Source : 

Sunday Times : By Dr. Jayantha Jayawardena. 

"Speakers". parliament.lk. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

Manamendra, Gayathra (13 March 2009). "The Battle of the Blues Steeped in tradition". Daily News. Archived from the original on 16 March 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.

64th death anniversary of A. F. Molamure The Controversial Sir Francis: Speaker who collapsed while Presiding

"Speakers". Archived from the original on 25 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.

Rajasingham, K. T. (22 September 2001). "Sri Lanka: The Untold Story". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.

The Last Kraal in Sri Lank.

Abeynaike, H.B.W. (23 February 2009). "Press Magnate Who Fought For Country's Freedom". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 July 2009.

Lady Members Archived 2010-11-26 at the Wayback Machine