A preliminary discussion and field inspection on the feasibility of establishing an AI-powered early warning system in Sri Lanka to mitigate human-elephant conflict were held yesterday (13) in the Galgamuwa area.
Minister of Environment Dr. Dammika Patabendi, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, and representatives from Huawei participated in the event.
During the discussion, the Chinese Ambassador and Huawei representatives highlighted that similar early warning systems have been successfully implemented in areas affected by human-elephant conflict in China.
The proposed technology uses AI-powered camera systems capable of identifying wild elephants based on their body size and movement patterns. This enables elephants to be detected before they enter villages, allowing nearby residents to be alerted through warning signals and messages.
Special attention was given to Sri Lanka's geographical features, the movement patterns of wild elephants, the routes they use to enter villages, and suitable locations for installing the camera systems.
The objective of the field inspection was to assess the practical feasibility of adapting China's successful experiences and modern technological solutions to Sri Lanka's environmental and geographical conditions.
