Representational file photo.
Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has appointed a committee of veterinarians to examine two elephants gifted by Thailand, following concerns raised by Bangkok about their health, a deputy minister said Saturday.
Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakodi told reporters that preliminary examinations indicated the elephants did not have any major health problems.
The decision followed reports that Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin was scheduled to visit Colombo to discuss the animals' welfare.
The two elephants were gifted to Sri Lanka in 2001.
In 2023, Thailand took back a tusker it had donated to Sri Lanka, citing health concerns.
Thailand has presented several elephants to Sri Lanka as gestures of goodwill over the years. In Sri Lanka, elephants are traditionally featured in Buddhist religious processions.
