The Department of Wildlife Conservation has received 84 new pickup trucks to strengthen wildlife protection, address human-elephant conflict and improve its field operations.
The vehicles were officially handed over under the patronage of Minister of Environment Dr. Dhammika Patabendi and Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody.
According to the Ministry of Environment, this is the largest single consignment of vehicles ever provided to the Department, increasing its total fleet to 294 vehicles.
The Department’s fleet now consists of 84 single-cab pickup trucks, 16 double-cab pickup trucks, three crew-cab pickups, 181 motorcycles, nine tractors and one two-wheeled hand tractor.
In a statement, the Ministry said a comprehensive programme had been implemented since the current Government took office to address long-standing shortages of human and physical resources in the wildlife sector.
Priority in distributing the new vehicles has been given to regional wildlife offices operating in areas frequently affected by human-elephant conflict and forest destruction.
