Can I legally feed wild animals on Sri Lankan roadsides?

No, feeding wild animals along Sri Lankan roadsides is illegal, highly dangerous, and is strictly penalised under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance. People who violate this rule can face heavy fines right away, and they may be arrested by wildlife authorities.

This sort of practice sadly happens a lot near national parks, where elephants often step up to the roadside. Consequently, if you feed them, it changes their natural browsing behaviour, and it also leads to more human-wildlife conflict. When wild elephants start to anticipate snacks from vehicles, they can become more hostile towards cars that do not stop, and that puts travellers in danger and harms the animals themselves.