Elephant bone ornaments found in a home in Kandy

Sri Lanka: Wildlife officers yesterday seized several ornaments carved out of elephant tusks from the home of the Basnayake Nilame of the Kataragama Devalaya in Kandy.

The officers had inspected the Basnayake Nilame’s house following a complaint that he owned ornaments made out of elephant tusks without a valid permit.

The wildlife officer had found a couple of two and half feet tall ornaments made to look like elephant tusks. They had been made out of elephant bone. The wildlife officers have sought two reports from the Department of the National Zoological Gardens and the Department of National Museums on their finding. They have also informed the Kandy Magistrate’s Court on the issue.

When contacted, Basnayake Nilame Gemunu Walisundera said he had a valid permit for the two ornaments made out of elephant bone. Walisundera said he had showed a receipt to the wildlife officers for the ornaments which he had bought from a Nilame in the Kandy area sometime back.

He said even after he produced the receipt, the officers had taken away the ornaments.

(Source: Daily News)