In the Eastern Province of the island nation, wild elephants have taken to garbage dumps near forests in search of food
by
Dana Niazi
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During my three-month journey through Sri Lanka, I dedicated myself to photographing its wild denizens. Fascinated to learn about how wild elephants regularly cross paths with humans, especially in parts of northern Sri Lanka, I started documenting these gentle giants and quickly became aware of the increasing threat of human-elephant conflict in the region. Interactions between local communities and the wild tuskers often resulted in the loss of harvest, property and even human life, leading to retaliatory killings.
In this photo series, I focus on a different arm of the Anthropocene that plagues these pachyderms. Garbage dumps and local landfills bordering forests in the Ampara District, Eastern Province, have become regular feeding grounds for wild elephants. It is heartbreaking to watch these majestic mammals wade through oceans of trash in search of food.
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It was far before midday. But the sun was already burning, and an overwhelming stench lingered in the air.
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The garbage dump bordered the jungle, and was freely accessible to the elephants.
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Soon, a large herd had gathered in anticipation of the arrival of garbage trucks.
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The elephants seemed to consume everything from fast food packaging to whole plastic bags.
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Each consecutive garbage truck stole any sense of the wilderness that the elephants formally knew.
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From what was a small waste dump, the site grew to the point where I witnessed these large mammals wading through an ocean of trash.
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What probably shouldn't have felt so alarming was the sheer amount of plastic in the dung they left behind.
Friday, 05 May, 2023
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Dana Niazi is a German wildlife photographer and painter who is also a passionate nature and wildlife enthusiast. She is an award-winning artist who has won contests from all over the world for her animal paintings. Dana recently began her journey in wildlife photography, and you can see her work on Instagram @dana_niazi.
