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Research Paper | Geography | Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026 | Pages: 215 - 222 | Sri Lanka
From Theories to Practice: A Landscape Ecological Approach and Sandwich Elephant Ecological Barrier for Sustainable Human-Elephant Coexistence in Southern Sri Lanka
Abstract: Human-elephant conflict remains one of the most significant conservation and socio-ecological challenges in Sri Lanka. This study proposes a Landscape Ecological Approach integrated with a Sandwich Elephant Ecological Barrier (SEEB) to promote sustainable human-elephant coexistence while maintaining ecological connectivity. Qualitative research was conducted along the eastern boundary of Udawalawe National Park using participant observation, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and secondary data analysis. The findings indicate that habitat fragmentation, declining habitat quality, degraded biological corridors, and inadequate maintenance of electric fences intensify human-elephant conflict by encouraging elephants to enter human-dominated landscapes. The proposed SEEB integrates vegetation buffers, engineered barriers, and protected ecological corridors to reduce elephant incursions while preserving seasonal movement and habitat connectivity. The study demonstrates that combining landscape ecology, ecosystem-based in situ conservation, and metapopulation principles provides a practical framework for long-term human-elephant coexistence in the Southern Wildlife Region of Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Human-Elephant Conflict, Landscape Ecology, Ecological Connectivity, Elephant Corridors, In Situ Conservation, Sustainable Conservation, Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka
How to Cite?: M. A. M. Isthikar, "From Theories to Practice: A Landscape Ecological Approach and Sandwich Elephant Ecological Barrier for Sustainable Human-Elephant Coexistence in Southern Sri Lanka", Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 215-222, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26801090021, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26801090021