Source:http://www.divaina.com/2011/01/29/feature02.html
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Dugongs - Sea Pig
The Dugaong (Dugong dugon) is called Mudu ura and in Tamil Kadal Pandi, both meaning sea pig.
The Dugong, or Sea Cow, as it is also known, is a large herbivorous mammal that lives in the sea entirely. The lip is fleshy and flat like a pad with a few hairs on it. Dugongs breathe from two nostrils at the front of its head. They feed in shallow water on a vegetarian diet consisting mostly of sea grass.
There are only a four species of Sirenians in the world. The dugong is the only Sirenian in the seas around Sri Lanka.
Here, too, they are found only off the North Western coastline from Puttalam to Jaffna and mainly off Mannar. Dugongs live close to the coast and prefer Puttalam to Jaffna coastline habitat since the extensive continental shelf here and the shallow waters provide ideal feeding grounds.
They have well developed mammary glands and have fooled sailors in the past into thinking that they are mermaids. They are sluggish harmless animals.
The dugong has a streamlined body to enable it to swim easily. Its fore-limbs are paddle shaped flippers. The tail fin, like in the Cetacens, is horizontal and flattened. It has a smooth and thick skin. They have small eyes compared to the rest of the body. The ears are two small holes with no covering.
Though dugongs are now extremely rare, they were once plentiful in these habitats, especially during the 19th century and the early part of the past century. Their numbers have greatly reduced due to fishermen catching them.
There is recent evidence that many dugongs were captured annually. Their flesh is in demand and hence their vulnerability. The rate of reproduction of the dugong is low and this contributes to the decline in numbers of this over-exploited mammal.
No real estimates have been made in recent times so that there is no inkling of the population status of the dugongs in their habitat. There is a great danger of the dugong quietly slipping to extinction due to the fact that it is rarely seen and that too by very few.
All cetaceans found in Sri Lankan waters and the dugong are protected by two ordinances, the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance and the Fisheries Act.
However, the law is rarely enforced and is in effect useless in terms of conserving these species. If there is to be a positive effect in the attempt to conserve these species, there must be an active campaign by the knowledgeable public and the law, as it stands, implemented.
If the law is found to be inadequate, to deal with the situation under present circumstances, the necessary amendments to the laws should be brought in.
The Dugong, or Sea Cow, as it is also known, is a large herbivorous mammal that lives in the sea entirely. The lip is fleshy and flat like a pad with a few hairs on it. Dugongs breathe from two nostrils at the front of its head. They feed in shallow water on a vegetarian diet consisting mostly of sea grass.
There are only a four species of Sirenians in the world. The dugong is the only Sirenian in the seas around Sri Lanka.
Here, too, they are found only off the North Western coastline from Puttalam to Jaffna and mainly off Mannar. Dugongs live close to the coast and prefer Puttalam to Jaffna coastline habitat since the extensive continental shelf here and the shallow waters provide ideal feeding grounds.
They have well developed mammary glands and have fooled sailors in the past into thinking that they are mermaids. They are sluggish harmless animals.
The dugong has a streamlined body to enable it to swim easily. Its fore-limbs are paddle shaped flippers. The tail fin, like in the Cetacens, is horizontal and flattened. It has a smooth and thick skin. They have small eyes compared to the rest of the body. The ears are two small holes with no covering.
Though dugongs are now extremely rare, they were once plentiful in these habitats, especially during the 19th century and the early part of the past century. Their numbers have greatly reduced due to fishermen catching them.
There is recent evidence that many dugongs were captured annually. Their flesh is in demand and hence their vulnerability. The rate of reproduction of the dugong is low and this contributes to the decline in numbers of this over-exploited mammal.
No real estimates have been made in recent times so that there is no inkling of the population status of the dugongs in their habitat. There is a great danger of the dugong quietly slipping to extinction due to the fact that it is rarely seen and that too by very few.
All cetaceans found in Sri Lankan waters and the dugong are protected by two ordinances, the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance and the Fisheries Act.
However, the law is rarely enforced and is in effect useless in terms of conserving these species. If there is to be a positive effect in the attempt to conserve these species, there must be an active campaign by the knowledgeable public and the law, as it stands, implemented.
If the law is found to be inadequate, to deal with the situation under present circumstances, the necessary amendments to the laws should be brought in.
Minister assures to end dynamite fishing in Mannar seas: Killed dugongs to be displayed at museum
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratna yesterday said he is determined to put an absolute end to dynamite fishing in the seas off Mannar which killed two rare dugongs, while the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) is preparing them for public display at a national museum.
Meanwhile, NARA scientists are to perform autopsies on the two marine mammals. Their carcasses are preserved in deep freezers at the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation in Colombo, before they become museum specimen.
NARA Chairman Dr Hiran Jayewardena said the autopsy results are expected by the end of next week. The fishermen responsible for killing the animals are in remand custody. Fisheries Minister Senaratna has ordered a full scale investigation into the dugong killing and the disposition of fish dynamiting in Mannar, he said.
Minister Senaratna said he has received many reports confirming that blast fishing or dynamite fishing is taking place in Mannar despite it being illegal.
"We have also received information that some fishermen in Mannar are in the practice of killing these mammals," he said.
Dugongs, also known as sea cows are rare species protected under local and international law.
"We will not allow this to happen," he said.
Referring to the dead dugongs, he said looking at the size of their bodies and their weight, one can say they were 20 to 30 years old.
"It takes a long time for them to reach this size and the weight," he said. The two killed were fully grown dugongs, a female and a male. The weight of the female is about 545 kilos and the male 480 kilos," the Minister said.
Senaratna said he will stop the practice of dynamiting fish in Mannar permanently as he stopped it in the Trincomalee district with the support of the Navy. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, Dugongs are vulnerable and endangered globally.
They have been protected by the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance Act No 1, 1970 for several decades in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is also a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of wild fauna and flora.
Asked why they were going to arrange a display of the mammals, NARA Chairman Dr Jayewardena asked, "who has seen a dugong?"
"I have not seen one since 1980s. They will be kept as museum specimen at NARA museum or some other national museum for future generations," he added.
Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/12/31/news30.asp
Meanwhile, NARA scientists are to perform autopsies on the two marine mammals. Their carcasses are preserved in deep freezers at the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation in Colombo, before they become museum specimen.
NARA Chairman Dr Hiran Jayewardena said the autopsy results are expected by the end of next week. The fishermen responsible for killing the animals are in remand custody. Fisheries Minister Senaratna has ordered a full scale investigation into the dugong killing and the disposition of fish dynamiting in Mannar, he said.
Minister Senaratna said he has received many reports confirming that blast fishing or dynamite fishing is taking place in Mannar despite it being illegal.
"We have also received information that some fishermen in Mannar are in the practice of killing these mammals," he said.
Dugongs, also known as sea cows are rare species protected under local and international law.
"We will not allow this to happen," he said.
Referring to the dead dugongs, he said looking at the size of their bodies and their weight, one can say they were 20 to 30 years old.
"It takes a long time for them to reach this size and the weight," he said. The two killed were fully grown dugongs, a female and a male. The weight of the female is about 545 kilos and the male 480 kilos," the Minister said.
Senaratna said he will stop the practice of dynamiting fish in Mannar permanently as he stopped it in the Trincomalee district with the support of the Navy. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, Dugongs are vulnerable and endangered globally.
They have been protected by the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance Act No 1, 1970 for several decades in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is also a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of wild fauna and flora.
Asked why they were going to arrange a display of the mammals, NARA Chairman Dr Jayewardena asked, "who has seen a dugong?"
"I have not seen one since 1980s. They will be kept as museum specimen at NARA museum or some other national museum for future generations," he added.
Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/12/31/news30.asp
Politician found with leopard skin given bail
Colombo chief magistrate Rashmi Singappuli today (Jan. 03) ordered bail for a member of the Horowpothana Pradeshiya Sabha, who has been charged under the Fauna and Flora Act. The accused, A.K. Mohamed Asvin, was released on two one million rupee personal bails.
He is charged with the possession of a leopard skin and other animal body parts, intended for sale.
The court ordered the CID to file a case, and fixed March 28 as the next day of hearing.
Source:http://www.srilankamirror.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1143:politician-found-with-leopard-skin-given-bail&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50
He is charged with the possession of a leopard skin and other animal body parts, intended for sale.
The court ordered the CID to file a case, and fixed March 28 as the next day of hearing.
Source:http://www.srilankamirror.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1143:politician-found-with-leopard-skin-given-bail&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50
Fallen Jumbo
A tusker, who was being transported by the Wildlife Department to be released, died after the bottom of the lorry the elephant was being transported broke and the leg of the elephant got stuck suffocating the tusker. Several attempts made to free the elephant by the officials were unsuccessful.
I would not visit Pinnawela again!
It is indeed amazing that Neelagiri’s abuse was not detected by the higher ups at Pinnawela, which speaks volumes about the lethargy of the administration there. Is Pinnawela becoming a mere circus, at a time when circuses are becoming obsolete the world over. Baby elephants are fed milk at a price of 500 rupees per bottle. But actually only a quarter bottle is given. I asked why quarter bottle and the keeper replied if so much milk is given by everyone as one bottle each then it would not be good for the baby. The baby elephants are supposed to have a limited number of milk bottles per feed.
The money goes into the pocket of the keeper. He must be a rich man, as a lot of people feed the babies, each giving Rs. 500/- per feed. And at what huge price in terms of the baby’s health?
Feeding the babies ought to be stopped as it has become a money making business posing a great health risk to the baby. Is not it possible for the babies to be with the herd and suckle from their mothers as they do in the wild?
Source:http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=16765
I saw a huge adult elephant being taken up from the river, after his bath — he was hopping with great difficulty, up the steep embankment and along the road, as his legs were tied so close to each other, both back and front. I asked the mahout why, and he said that it is to train the elephant to walk up and down for the bath or he will go berserk and kill people!
The up and down trek, twice a day to Ma Oya, is getting far too dangerous for the human bi-ped spectators I feel. If an elephant goes berserk, which is bound to happen sooner or later, the poor animal will be shot.
The authorities should consider allowing the bi-ped spectators only after the elephants get into the water, just once a day and let the elephants bathe in peace, at least once out of the two baths they get per day.
The zoo is archaic — they still get the pachyderms to perform getting them to sit on tiny little stools, in a begging position. How much those elephants must be physically "goaded" in order to get them to the stage of performing, taking on the most abnormal of positions for an elephant, or any quadruped for that matter, is not a concern for the authorities.
Sadly, along the way to Pinnawela you see elephant "circuses" mushrooming, offering rides etc.
I stopped visiting zoos long years ago and would not want to visit Pinnawela again.
Champa Fernando
Secretary, KACPAW
(Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare)
The money goes into the pocket of the keeper. He must be a rich man, as a lot of people feed the babies, each giving Rs. 500/- per feed. And at what huge price in terms of the baby’s health?
Feeding the babies ought to be stopped as it has become a money making business posing a great health risk to the baby. Is not it possible for the babies to be with the herd and suckle from their mothers as they do in the wild?
Source:http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=16765
I saw a huge adult elephant being taken up from the river, after his bath — he was hopping with great difficulty, up the steep embankment and along the road, as his legs were tied so close to each other, both back and front. I asked the mahout why, and he said that it is to train the elephant to walk up and down for the bath or he will go berserk and kill people!
The up and down trek, twice a day to Ma Oya, is getting far too dangerous for the human bi-ped spectators I feel. If an elephant goes berserk, which is bound to happen sooner or later, the poor animal will be shot.
The authorities should consider allowing the bi-ped spectators only after the elephants get into the water, just once a day and let the elephants bathe in peace, at least once out of the two baths they get per day.
The zoo is archaic — they still get the pachyderms to perform getting them to sit on tiny little stools, in a begging position. How much those elephants must be physically "goaded" in order to get them to the stage of performing, taking on the most abnormal of positions for an elephant, or any quadruped for that matter, is not a concern for the authorities.
Sadly, along the way to Pinnawela you see elephant "circuses" mushrooming, offering rides etc.
I stopped visiting zoos long years ago and would not want to visit Pinnawela again.
Champa Fernando
Secretary, KACPAW
(Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare)
නීලගිරි හස්තියා මරාදැමීම ගැන සැකකරුවෝ සිව් දෙනෙක් රිමාන්ඩ්
පින්නවල අලි අනාථාගාරයේදී පසුගිය 17 දා අලුයම මියගිය නීලගිරි නමැති හස්තියාගේ මරණයට සෘජුවම වගකිවයුතු බවට සැක කරන සහකාර සත්ව ආරක්ෂක නිලධාරියකු සහ ඇත් ගොව්වන් තිදෙනකු පොලිසිය මගින් අත්අඩංගුවට ගන කෑගල්ල වැඩබලන මහෙස්ත්රාත් මාලනී ජයවර්ධන මහත්මිය වෙත ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමෙන් පසු මෙම මස 28 දා දක්වා රක්ෂිත බන්ධනාගාරගත කරන ලෙස නියෝග කළාය.
1989 වර්ෂයේදී ලාහුගල ප්රදේශයේ වනාන්තරයකින් අල්ලාගත් මෙම නීලගිරි හස්තියා පසුව පින්නවල අලි අනාථාගාරයට රැගෙන විත් සිටියදී මීට මාස කීපයකට ඉහතදී ඇත්ගොව්වන් විසින් එල්ල කරන ලද දරුණු හෙන්ඩු පහරකින් අසාධ්යවී සිටියදී පසුගිය 17 දා අලුයම මියගියේය. මියයන විට අවුරුදු 23 පසු කරමින් සිටියේය.
මෙසේ රිමාන්ඩ් බන්ධනාගාරගත කරනු ලැබුවේ සෝලංග ආරච්චිගේ වසන්ත දුලිප් කුමාර නමැති සහකාර සත්ව ආරක්ෂක නිලධාරියා සහ රත්බදු ආරච්චිගේ පුංචි බණ්ඩාර ගනේගොඩගෙදර මාලක මිහිර බණ්ඩාර සහ බමුණුආරච්චිලාගේ සමන් ජයසූරිය නමැති ඇත්ගොව්වන් තිදෙනාය.
කෲර ලෙස වධ හිංසා කර හස්තියා මරණයට පත්කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ජාතික සත්වෝද්යාන අධ්යක්ෂ භාෂ්වර සේනාංක ගුණරත්න මහතා විසින් මෙම සිවුදෙනාගේ සේවය පසුගිsය 17 දා පෙරවරුවේ සිටම තහනම් කර තිබිණි.
පසුව මෙම සිව්දෙනා සැඟව සිටියදී රඹුක්කන පොලිසිය මගින් අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන කෑගල්ල මහෙස්ත්රාත් වෙත ඉදිරිපත් කෙරිණි. මෙම නඩුව සම්බන්ධව සැලකිල්ලට ගත් කෑගල්ල වැඩබලන මහෙස්ත්රාත්වරිය මෙම සිව්දෙනා බන්ධනාගාරගත කර 28 දා යළි උසාවියට ඉදිරිපත් කරන ලෙස පොලිසියට දන්වා සිටි අතර මේ පිළිබඳ වැඩිදුර පරීක්ෂණ රඹුක්කන පොලිසිය මෙහෙයවයි.
Source:http://www.divaina.com/2011/01/26/news17.html
Tallest Pinnawala elephant dies
‘Neelagiri’ a 32 year-old male elephant in the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage died yesterday morning due to severe injuries caused by stabbing with elephant goads by three mahouts.
The dead elephant was the tallest of the Pinnawala herd, “Neelagiri” was caught in the Lahugala Forest and brought to the Pinnawala elephant orphanage in 1986.
Veterinary surgeons of Peradeniya Veterinary Science Faculty and the elephant orphanage treated the wounded elephant who was considered as the father of many baby elephants born there, without any success as the elephant failed to recover, said Zoological Department Director General Bhaswara Senaka Goonaratna.
The suspects have been interdicted while an investigation is carried out on the elephant’s death.
Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/01/18/news12.asp
The dead elephant was the tallest of the Pinnawala herd, “Neelagiri” was caught in the Lahugala Forest and brought to the Pinnawala elephant orphanage in 1986.
Veterinary surgeons of Peradeniya Veterinary Science Faculty and the elephant orphanage treated the wounded elephant who was considered as the father of many baby elephants born there, without any success as the elephant failed to recover, said Zoological Department Director General Bhaswara Senaka Goonaratna.
The suspects have been interdicted while an investigation is carried out on the elephant’s death.
Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/01/18/news12.asp
Four baby elephants perish in Sri Lanka floods
COLOMBO - AT LEAST four baby elephants perished in Sri Lanka's devastating floods which killed 40 people and left a million villagers displaced, an official said on Monday.
Wildlife Conservation director Chandrawansa Pathiraja said the four elephants drowned in the north-central and eastern regions, which were the worst affected after unusually heavy monsoon rains last week.
In the north-central region of Habarana, the carcass of a drowned baby elephant was found last week in a five-metre tree that had been submerged by the flood waters.
'We also found that several wild buffaloes were marooned atop rocky terrain and we sent food for them by boat,' Pathiraja said.
About 30km of electric fences used to keep elephants from straying into villages were destroyed by the floods.
Elephants are considered sacred animals in Sri Lanka, but they increasingly clash with farmers as habitat becomes scarce. -- AFP
Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_625195.html
Wildlife Conservation director Chandrawansa Pathiraja said the four elephants drowned in the north-central and eastern regions, which were the worst affected after unusually heavy monsoon rains last week.
In the north-central region of Habarana, the carcass of a drowned baby elephant was found last week in a five-metre tree that had been submerged by the flood waters.
'We also found that several wild buffaloes were marooned atop rocky terrain and we sent food for them by boat,' Pathiraja said.
About 30km of electric fences used to keep elephants from straying into villages were destroyed by the floods.
Elephants are considered sacred animals in Sri Lanka, but they increasingly clash with farmers as habitat becomes scarce. -- AFP
Source:http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_625195.html
50 wild elephants killed in Sri Lanka floods
Colombo, Jan 16 (PTI) Some 50 wild elephants have been killed due to the devastating Sri Lankan floods, which has displaced over a million people, according to the country''s Wildlife Conservation Department.
Chandrawansa Pathiraja, the Director General of SriLanka Wildlife Conservation Department, said around 50 wildel ephants have been reported killed due to floods.
He was quoted a saying by the ColomboPage online that a survey has been commenced in wildlife parks to ascertain the exact number of deaths of the wild elephants and other animals.
Local media recently published photos of a corpse of a baby elephant that was stuck between tree branches when it was washed away in floods.
Several wild animals also believed to have been perished due to floods.
Floods severely affected Lahugala, Somawathi,Maduruoya, Kumana and Kavudulla wildlife parks.
A large number of cattle have also been reported killed due to massive floods.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that livestock losses will be significant, particularly in Batticaloa district, the report said. The UN agency reported that 48,679 cattle, 22,279goats, and 172,884 poultry have been lost.
More than a million people have been affected by the flooding in Sri Lanka and at least 37 have died over a week of devastation that has severely hit the centre and east of the country, including areas already destroyed by a three-decade civil war that ended in 2009.
Now the threat of water-borne diseases loomed withwater levels receding after the devastation caused by the monsoon floods.
A large number of those displaced were those who had only recently been resettled after decades of ethnic conflictbetween Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces.
Both local and international aid agencies said the water levels were rapidly going down with many people able to go back to their homes to assess the damage.
The authorities are yet to assess the extent of damage, but officials said vast tracks of rice and vegetable farms were destroyed and livestock also badly affected.
UN agencies in the capital plan to issue an international appeal for funding as providing relief for those in the worst affected areas was becoming a serious challenge.
India responded quickly to Sri Lanka''s call for assistance by sending a consignment of relief supply by an special air craft.
Army, Navy and Air Force personnel are working round the clock to provide water, food and shelter on a priority basis to all flood victims. PTI
Source:http://news.oneindia.in/2011/01/16/50wild-elephants-killed-in-sri-lankafloods-aid0126.html
Chandrawansa Pathiraja, the Director General of SriLanka Wildlife Conservation Department, said around 50 wildel ephants have been reported killed due to floods.
He was quoted a saying by the ColomboPage online that a survey has been commenced in wildlife parks to ascertain the exact number of deaths of the wild elephants and other animals.
Local media recently published photos of a corpse of a baby elephant that was stuck between tree branches when it was washed away in floods.
Several wild animals also believed to have been perished due to floods.
Floods severely affected Lahugala, Somawathi,Maduruoya, Kumana and Kavudulla wildlife parks.
A large number of cattle have also been reported killed due to massive floods.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that livestock losses will be significant, particularly in Batticaloa district, the report said. The UN agency reported that 48,679 cattle, 22,279goats, and 172,884 poultry have been lost.
More than a million people have been affected by the flooding in Sri Lanka and at least 37 have died over a week of devastation that has severely hit the centre and east of the country, including areas already destroyed by a three-decade civil war that ended in 2009.
Now the threat of water-borne diseases loomed withwater levels receding after the devastation caused by the monsoon floods.
A large number of those displaced were those who had only recently been resettled after decades of ethnic conflictbetween Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces.
Both local and international aid agencies said the water levels were rapidly going down with many people able to go back to their homes to assess the damage.
The authorities are yet to assess the extent of damage, but officials said vast tracks of rice and vegetable farms were destroyed and livestock also badly affected.
UN agencies in the capital plan to issue an international appeal for funding as providing relief for those in the worst affected areas was becoming a serious challenge.
India responded quickly to Sri Lanka''s call for assistance by sending a consignment of relief supply by an special air craft.
Army, Navy and Air Force personnel are working round the clock to provide water, food and shelter on a priority basis to all flood victims. PTI
Source:http://news.oneindia.in/2011/01/16/50wild-elephants-killed-in-sri-lankafloods-aid0126.html
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