Myan Kumara caused controversy in 2018 when he was believed to have been involved in the death of Ven. Wimalarathana Thera who died after sustaining injuries in a fall that took place while he was feeding Myan Kumara, although this has not been proven. The tradition of using elephants in peraheras started when the Nayakar family came to Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan kings married Keralite queens,” the spokesperson said. RARE shared that elephants over the age of five cannot be successfully reintroduced into the wild; they have spent too much time in captivity and will struggle, especially if they have to interact with wild elephants. There is an alternative, however, in elephant sanctuaries, which have proven successful internationally with rehabilitating captive elephants.

Source: The Nation January 07, 2021 21:56 UTC