Abstract:
The ongoing Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in Sri Lanka results in
the death of more than 300 elephants every year. Although HEC
mitigation plans are in place, the mitigation measures are not always
implemented due to fund limitations. In the present study, the visitor
demand for HEC mitigation strategies as the visitors’ willingness to
pay a conservation tax at park level has been estimated which could be
used for implementing HEC mitigation measures to conserve elephants
in the wild. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted at three
national parks presenting different options for mitigating HEC. The
study found LKR 112.11, LKR 85.38 and LKR 95.37 (1USD = LKR 180)
as the maximum conservation tax that visitors were willing to pay for
conserving elephants at the Minneriya (MNP), Wasgamuwa (WNP),
and Udawalawe (UNP) National Parks which are located in the North
Central, Central and Southern Provinces, respectively, in Sri Lanka.
These economic values constitute useful and reliable information for
policy makers in determining appropriate entrance fees for visitors to
national parks including a conservation tax for mitigating HEC
