The dearth of wildlife officials has been a major drawback in enforcing wildlife regulations, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said. There are only 3,000 odd wildlife officials to serve nearly one million hectares of forest in the country. The elephant population in Sri Lanka did not face any threat of extinction as its density has been increasing in recent times, he said. Steps have been taken to erect electrified fences under the Maga Neguma to ward off marauding elephants in an effort to eradicate the elephant-human conflict, the Minister said. Ranawaka said an area in extent of 40 acres in the Knuckles Forest reserve had been destroyed in the recent fire and added that every effort would be made to save forest reserves from terrorist clutches. He said Sri Pada, Knuckles Range, Horton Plains and Batadanduyaya which were environmental world heritage sites had been declared Environmental and Cultural World Heritage sites. These areas would soon be transformed into wildlife regions where wildlife regulations would come into effect banning smoking and consumption of liquor and polythene use.