Elephant Stories : Juliet Coombe and Conservation Concepts

In this episode Hotelier, Designer and Podcaster Dee Gibson explores the effects of Sri Lanka’s urbanisation on humans and elephants. Guest Juliet Coombe discusses her passion for Sri Lanka and her project 'Elephant Story Trails’ aimed at resolving human-elephant conflicts through sustainable tourism and conservation efforts. On this island shaped by monsoons and memory, the elephant is more than an animal. It is a living rhythm — a pulse that has echoed through Sri Lanka for centuries. You see them in the ancient chronicles, carved in stone beside kings and monks. In the forests of Minneriya, they move like rivers of memory — wise, deliberate, powerful. The Sri Lankan elephant is the largest of all its kind — darker, quieter, more introspective. Only a few males bear tusks, rare and sacred, like silver crescents beneath the moon.In temples, the elephant carries the Tooth Relic of the Buddha — a bearer of faith. In villages, it ploughs the earth, hauls timber, shares water. And in our stories, it stands for patience, for strength, for grace. Yet today, its journey is uncertain. Forests shrink, fields expand, and where jungle once met paddy, conflict now brews.Still, when you meet an elephant in the wild with quiet eyes you feel the island’s soul looking back at you. A reminder that wisdom is not always human, and that co-existence is an old Sri Lankan art.The conversation sheds light on the challenges and solutions related to urbanization and wildlife preservation in Sri Lanka.Episode HighlightsMeet Juliet Coombe: A Prolific British AuthorJuliet's Life in Sri Lanka During the Civil WarThe Galle Fort Community and Literary FestivalThe Elephant Crisis and Conservation EffortsRoyal Interest and Charcoal DrawingsElephants' Intelligence and Emotional DepthThe Holistic Elephant Conservation ProjectThe Importance of Biodiversity and Local WildlifeAbout Juliet CoombePhotojournalist & book author, Juliet Coombe is an inspiring storyteller who has written, while based in Asia, numerous books about Sri Lanka, including the first guide to the North and the East Sri Lanka’s Other Half, Around The Galle Fort in 80 Lives, Generation Tea, Colombo City Guide, The Power Of Sri Lankan Art, and a ground breaking environmental guide, Paradise Exorcised, for Premium brand Jetwing Hotels & Travels. Her work has appeared in Lonely Planet books, Insight Guides, Metro travel sections, Get Lost Travel Magazine in Australia, Connoisseur Magazine and through Getty images who represent her worldwide. Her travel portfolio of images is used in magazines, newspapers and online. LINKShttps://www.instagram.com/elephantstorytrails/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Around-Fort-80-Lives-Merchanthttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Donald-Trunk-Crabzilla-Juliet-CoombeTitle: Sri Lanka: Modern Perspectives from an Ancient Melting PotHost: Dee Gibson — Sri Lankan-born, award winning designer based in London and founder of boutique hotel Kalukanda House in Sri Lanka. www.kalukandahouse.com | instagram @deegibson2017 & @kalukandahousePodcast Themes:Modern Sri Lankan identity and cultureArchitecture, art, and designSustainability and heritageDiaspora experiences and storytellingWhy Listen:This podcast offers deep, intelligent storytelling about Sri Lanka’s evolving identity — a blend of East and West, ancient and modern. It’s for listeners who love culture, travel, architecture, and thoughtful conversation.