Birds detected at BIA raises Interpol concern

Exotic species brought into country illegally to be sold at exorbitant amounts Questions over co-ordination of various agencies involved in implementing Animal Diseases Act

The recent detection at the BIA of an attempt to smuggle several exotic varieties of birds into the country has triggered interest of the Interpol that is probing whether this was part of a global live animal trafficking trade. Interpol’s Environmental Crime Committee in a letter to the Criminal investigation Department (CID) has requested any intelligence that the CID may have gathered from investigations into the illicit trafficking of birds, the Sunday Times learns. The recent detection was of a consignment of 121 live birds brought down by a regular importer who had documents to support the import of only ten birds as per the permits issued by the Department of Wild Life Conservation (DWC). These permits are given only after a quarantine report is obtained from the importer as required under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The market value of the birds was around Rs. 13.6 million but the declared value was just US $ 1130 (around Rs. 120,000). The man was fined Rs 450,000 and the birds were handed over to the National Zoological Gardens where they will go on display in about a month’s time. The ten birds for which the man had proper documentation were handed over to him. While most of the birds were varieties of parrots, what was disturbing was that among them were several small exotic varieties of duck and a pair of swans which are high-risk carries of Avian flu (bird flu). Customs Bio-Diversity unit Director General Samantha Gunasekera who led the detection having kept tabs on the importer for more than a year and having been tipped off by an informant said this was perhaps one of the few cases that was detected while in other instances live animal and bird cargo are smuggled into the country for ornamental purposes to be sold at exorbitant rates. Another shocking revelation was the amount people are willing to pay to buy different types of macaw and cockatoos to keep as pets. The blue and gold Macaw, indigenous to South America is sold at around Rs.1. 2 million while prices of other exotic birds range between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. One million. (See graphic for prices of imported birds sold in Sri Lanka). “The bird consignments come from Bangkok but the birds originate from South America, Australia or New Zealand,” Mr.Gunasekera said. While the Customs Department makes the detections, the quarantine office run by officials of the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) are entrusted with checking live cargo. “The importer has to inform the Department when the consignment is due and our officials check them when they arrive to give clearance. If there is some suspicion we keep the animals or birds at a quarantine centre outside the airport and release them later,” a spokesman for the Department Dr. Susil Silva said. However, the Sunday Times learns that the DAPH has come under criticism particularly that the live cargo is not examined properly and that regular importers are allowed to leave with the goods without proper scrutiny. When questioned Dr.Silva said the Department works with the resources available and that so far the Department has ensured that no diseases are brought into the country. “We have to implement the Animal Diseases Act and that is what our officials do,” he said. The Sunday Times found out that with varying government agencies involved in enforcing laws pertaining to this area, there seemed a lack of co-ordination. For example the Department of Wild Life Conservation (DWC) which issues permits and is entrusted with carrying out raids now functions under the Ministry of Agrarian Services and Wild Life whereas it was earlier under the Ministry of Environment which formulates policy on environment related matters. The co-ordination between the DAPH and the Customs too seemed inadequate. Environment activist and lawyer Jagath Gunawardena said although the Flora and Fauna Ordinance provides adequate laws to deal with the import and export of live and endangered species of both animal and plant what was lacking was its implementation as well as trained officers. “The law has been amended to meet present day situations but it has to be better implemented and we need more trained personnel so that we can close the loopholes that exist,” he said. Meanwhile, Samantha Gunasekera of the Customs said that other than the import of live animals, the unchecked import of various types of plants and fish too has proved to be hazardous to local bio diversity. “I warned many years ago that the import of piranhas and knife fish was detrimental to the survival of fish species. Their import was banned much later but now these fish are found in our waterways,” he said. He added that similarly other types of animal imports could cause much harm. “The Customs sometime back detected a pair of ferrets that had been imported as pets but these creatures are a highly invasive species and if released into the wild could wreak havoc by killing off many of the smaller animals found here,” he said. One of the 121 consignment of birds that were detected at the airport. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera “We need to educate the public as well as have better trained people to ensure that both local bio diversity is protected and there is no trafficking of endangered species,” he added. Permits before pets The Department of Animal Production and Health has reiterated that those who want to bring their pets (cats, dogs, birds etc.) into the country need to obtain an import permit from the Department prior to their arrival in Sri Lanka. An official said despite many public notices to this effect, many airline passengers still continue to bring pets without a valid permit and this has caused inconvenience to the quarantine officers who are forced to send them back to the countries from where they were flown in. He said, sometimes the pets are not accepted by the respective countries and are sent back to Sri Lanka, causing further inconvenience to officials and the owners. Locals target endemic birds as pets A bird-import racket was busted by the Customs last week, but another covert and illicit bird trade is being conducted within the country. The operatives catch birds in remote areas, sometimes deep in the jungles, and supply these to pet shops. The law allows only exotic birds to be kept as pets, but these pet shop owners deal in any indigenous birds. Parrots, munias, the black-headed oriole, grackles and even sparrows are among the birds being traded. The grackle, or Hill Myna, known locally as Salalihiniya, is especially vulnerable. The bird is in big demand because it comes under the business category of “birds that can talk.” The racket came to light last year when a Galle resident was caught in the act of delivering grackles caught in the wild to a pet shop in Mount Lavinia. Acting on a tip-off that birds were being transported to Colombo, Madura de Silva and Nadeeka Hapurarachchie of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle, accompanied by members of the Flying Squad of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, lay in wait near the Mt. Lavinia pet shop in question. The grackle, or Hill Myna A three-wheeler drew up in front of the pet shop, and a man stepped out. He was caught in the act of handing over a plastic crate containing grackles to the pet shop owner. The man told the Flying Squad the grackles were caught in the jungles of Gampola. He said he had also supplied other bird species, including the Layard’s Parakeet, a bird endemic to Sri Lanka. It is understood that the illicit bird business has been going on for quite some time. The bird supplier and the pet shop owner were both fined. Madura de Silva told the Sunday Times that there seems to be a growing demand for endemic local birds. Some of these birds have permanent nesting sites, and repeatedly visit the same tree and tree hole to lay their eggs. This makes them easy prey to bird catchers. It is quite common for villagers to keep birds, such as the mynah and the rose-ringed parakeet, as pets. Usually, these are birds that have been found abandoned or lost as fledglings, and out of compassion the villagers adopt the birds and take care of them. It is a different situation in the towns and city, where illegal bird trading is a lucrative business. While these birds may not be threatened species, they could be in danger if they became heavily targeted species, warned Madura de Silva. All indigenous and migratory birds, except five bird species, are protected under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance of Sri Lanka. The five unprotected species are the Large-billed Crow, the House Crow, the Rose-ringed Parakeet, the Scaly-breasted Munia and the white-backed Munia. The Rose-ringed Parakeet and two species of Munia are often available for sale in pet shops. It is illegal to keep even unprotected bird species without a licence, says environment lawyer Jagath Gunawardane. He believes there are a few organised groups engaged in the illicit bird trade, but the “situation is not out of control.” He recommended a proper investigation to review the situation. Source:http://sundaytimes.lk/120219/News/nws_13.html

Where every plant in the land gets a birth certificate

In addition to its serene beauty that draws hordes of visitors, there are many things that the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens can be proud of, one of which is the National Herbarium where vital work related to the floral wealth of this country is carried out, reports Kumudini Hettiarachchi

For most, it is just a walk through the gardens, sometimes enjoying the misty splendour or at other times the sunbathed glory of the well-laid out land by the quietly flowing Mahaweli. Relaxing under the canopy of a large tree, walking along the hallmark avenue of royal palms or looking in wonder at the bright and beautiful flowers, how many realize that the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya has the highest diversity among gardens in the region. The National Herbarium houses a collection of 148,000 dried specimens from all over the country. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara While providing a serene and tranquil environment, proven by the fact that 1.4 million are lured by its beauty, Peradeniya plays many roles - a major one being the ex-situ conservation of plants. This is the conservation and maintenance of living organisms, in this case plants, outside their natural habitats. There are 4,500 different species of plants including trees, shrubs, bushes et al, the Sunday Times learns. With the air in Kandy said to be more polluted than Colombo, this Botanic Gardens is reported to have the best air in the area. Behind the manicured and tended areas is also taking place important work connected to the flora of Sri Lanka. Deep within the Peradeniya Gardens in a charming building fitted with wooden almirahs, glass-showcases and numerous shelves, meticulously preserved are specimens of each and every plant or tree in the country. It is the National Herbarium with a massive collection of 148,000 dried specimens reported from all over the country, even the remotest corner, the Sunday Times understands. With the specimens come detailed information on where and when the plant was collected, its habitat, colour and the name of the collector. Explaining that some of the specimens at this national bio-repository are nearly 200 years old, the Director-General of the Department of National Botanic Gardens, Dr. Siril Wijesundera said the National Herbarium represents a valuable floral catalogue. This is where the "birth certificates" of plants are, he says, adding that the National Herbarium is also involved in plant exploration, identification, specimen preparation and documentation and revision of the floral wealth of the country. Here is the Wintergreen plant taken way back in 1855 at Horton Plains, says Dr. Wijesundera walking us through the National Herbarium, pointing out that when the leaves of the plant are crushed the wintogeno odour comes out strongly. Colour-coded with red being for "native" plants, green for cultivated plants and brown for exotics or aliens, if the plant is not at the Herbarium either it is new to Sri Lanka or new to science as in not being named, he says. As such a Herbarium is vital to study plant taxonomy (coming from the Greek taxis or "arrangement" it means the practice and science of classification), the geographic distribution of plants and also their nomenclature. Flowers, stems, leaves, seed and fruit are preserved alongside a specimen, according to Dr. Wijesundera. Dr. Siril Wijesundera shows some of the specimens The staff at the National Herbarium is also involved ‘Red Listing’ plants in the country in collaboration with the Biodiversity Secretariat of the Environment Ministry. Plants are categorized as 'extinct', 'critically endangered', 'endangered', 'vulnerable', 'near-threatened', 'least concerned' and 'data deficient'. Close to the National Herbarium is another building, now refurbished and equipped for batches of people to pore over microscopes, mix different chemicals in petri dishes for experiments involving plants or listen to both local and foreign experts. In this building now turned into an education centre, Louis Mountbatten, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in South Asia made his office in the hill country, as well as an ammunition dump during World War II in the early 1940s. The other achievement that the Botanic Gardens is proud of is the National Floriculture Development Programme, 'Suvahas Mal' under which 85 farmer organizations have been empowered in different spheres such as infrastructure, plant material and knowledge to cultivate both flowering and ornamental plants. The farmer organizations are in the Central, North Central, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Southern Provinces, according to the Director General and at the Botanic Gardens the nucleus where the growers have been trained is the model farm with green houses where rows and rows of orchids, anthuriums and other flowers are nurtured. Proving his initial point that it is not just a malwatte, Dr. Wijesundera's vision is to make the Peradeniya Royal Botanic Garden "the best in the tropics" by 2015 by maintaining that special quality that emanates from here……..the aura of tranquillity and serenity, along with its pristine majesty. History of our gardens The history of the Peradeniya Gardens goes back into the dim mists of time when in 1371 King Wickramabahu III first used it as a royal pleasure garden, followed by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe declaring it as a 'Royal Garden’ in 1780. By 1799, close to Colombo in Peliyagoda, the then British Governor Frederick North established a botanic garden in 1799, with the services of Frenchman Eudelin de Jonville. 'Kew Gardens' with Joseph Banks taking a hand came into being in 1810 in Slave Island, Colombo, with the first Superintendent William Kerr being appointed in 1812. However, relocation at Ukgalboda on the banks of the Kalu Ganga at Kalutara followed in 1814 and Alexander Moon took up the mantle in 1817. Peradeniya became the home of these gardens in 1821. Source:http://sundaytimes.lk/110508/Plus/plus_09.html

Killer croc at Muthurajawela marsh strikes

People are not aware that attacks are usually premeditated, says expert

The routine of humble Sebastian Angelo Uday Kumara, 36, may probably have rung the death knell for him that fateful Friday at Ragama, just a stone’s throw from the busy town and hospital.

For, as Kumara went about his usual work of getting into the ‘Meda’ marsh knee-deep to cut the grass and bundle it up and then walk a little distance to wash off the mud, the predator lurking in the murky waters may very well have eyed him on several days and waited grabbing him as dusk fell on January 27.

Above: The wife and two children of the victim whose picture is at right

When the Sunday Times visited the area, a knot of men and women gathered to express fear over a possible crocodile attack. Yes, said a woman, with the others nodding in agreement, a crocodile has been sighted in the area, with dogs and goats going missing.

“Kimbulek avva thapinawa dekala thiyenawa,” said 16-year-old Roshan Vimukthi who used to play cricket on the pitiya with his friends, explaining that he had seen a crocodile sunning itself with its jaws wide open. It was about 15 feet long.

S. Piyumi, living on the embankment opposite the pool where parts of Kumara’s body had been found, says that when her dogs barked furiously she heard a splash and saw the last bit of a croc’s tail vanish into the depths of the water hedged in by habarala.

A person points to the spot where the victim entered the marsh. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara

Fearful for their children, especially if there is heavy rain and the houses get flooded as they are prone to, the people called for immediate action to prevent crocs from roaming this urban area. A week after Kumara went missing and parts of his body were found at the marsh, his wife Anne Sunethra Dilshani, 10-year-old son Chanaka and eight-year-old daughter Niroshini are struggling to come to grips with the thought that the husband/ father is no more. With the breadwinner gone, the family will be dependent on the kindness of relatives, mainly Kumara’s brothers and sister.

“They have vowed to look after my children,” sobs Anne, as the tiny home in ‘Meegaha-watte’ down Weli Para, Peliyagoda, is coming back to normal. The funeral having been held on February 1, the small shed erected on the road to accommodate the crowds is about to be dismantled and the plastic chairs stacked in corners. Inside their home on a low teapoy is the photo of Kumara with a flame flickering close-by. A cup of tea with milk added has been kept as an offering.

“He didn’t come home that night or early the next morning,” says Anne. The search began the next day, with the men of the watte being mobilised by Kumara’s brother, Sebastian Joseph. Retracing Kumara’s movements, they came to the Ragama marsh and found the three-wheeler as well as the bundles of grass close by.
“His good clothes were in the three-wheeler and a few coins were scattered inside as well,” says Joseph re-living the trauma, pointing out that of the two sickles Kumara usually took with him to cut grass, only one was found in the three-wheeler.
The banian which he wears when cutting the grass was found some distance away, soaking wet but on dry land, close to a murky pool, on the bank of which the three-wheeler ignition key was also found, according to him.
After the watte tharunayo cleared the mucky edges of the pool, the Navy swimmers found his brother’s leg in the water. His shorts, with pahuru gapu (scrape) marks were also found in the water, says Joseph.
The head and the upper torso had been found only last Tuesday, theSunday Times learns.
Kumara had left his wallet along with his driving licence and his identity card at home, murmurs Anne wondering whether he had a premonition of what would befall him.
Three-wheeler driver Suranga Ranjith Silva who has followed the crocodile saga from day one has told officials of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) that he is willing to catch the creature.
We can lure it with a godura (bait) and then trap it with a noose. We will not harm it, he says.
However, according to him, officials from the DWC office at Muthurajawela have told the people in the area to inform them if they spot a crocodile.
“Will the crocodile await their coming,” grumbles a resident, with others agreeing that it is not the solution.

Open verdict as full body not found yet Ragama Coroner M. Priyankara Lal who held the inquest into Kumara’s death has returned an open verdict, fixing the next hearing for February 24. The post-mortem examination conducted by Consultant Judicial Medical Officer, Dr. Indira Kitulwatte, had found that the injuries on the recovered parts of the body were consistent with kimbulek sapa kema, explained the Coroner, adding that because the whole body had not been found he gave an open verdict. Time has been given so that the missing leg and lower torso including the stomach may be recovered, it is learnt. Warning boards necessary Boards warning of croc attacks should be put up immediately in the area, stressed Anslem de Silva, Vice Chairman, Crocodile Specialist Group IUCN/SSC for South Asia and Iran, advising that people who live or work in croc habitats must not engage in a regimented routine. Do not repeat the same action, at the same location, at the same time, he urges. Among the eight killer-crocodiles in the world are both the Saltwater and Mugger crocs which are found in Sri Lanka. The Saltwater crocodile along with the Nile croc (found in Egypt) tops the list, the Sunday Times learns. Pointing out that many attacks are due to the ignorance of humans, Mr. de Silva said people who go into crocodile habitat are not aware of both the attitude and activities of these creatures. Croc attacks are usually premeditated, says this expert who has investigated more than 150 such incidents across the country, adding that they “watch and wait.’ ‘Mr. Saltwater Croc’ found in the Ragama area may have been watching Kumara, bent or squatting washing himself before pouncing, he says. Once the croc’s teeth get gridlocked on human flesh, it is one of the biggest forces. The croc will then drag its victim under water, drown him, tear the body into pieces and hide them amidst the underwater root systems, for it prefers the putrefied remains. Commending moves by the DWC under the guidance of Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena to set up massive enclosures of 1-2 acres for both species of crocodiles at Muthurajawela, Mr. de Silva adds that then ‘croc trouble-makers’ from all over the country could be trapped and released there, to reduce the human-crocodile conflict. Source:http://sundaytimes.lk/120205/News/nws_14.html

When croc and man lived a ‘charmed’ life

Our very own crocodile dundee, Anslem de Silva brings world focus on traditional methods used by our ancestors, to co-exist with this much-maligned reptile.

Four-legged or no legged, big or small, ambling or slithering, whatever forms the natural dangers took, our ancestors seemed to have known how to deal with them. Not only did they deal with them effectively, be it elephant, snake or crocodile, they also passed down their knowledge, sometimes ingrained in stone to posterity. Mr. de Silva rescued this five-foot Mugger from a fishing net in Jaffna and released it Setting his sights on the much-reviled and maligned crocodile, which are among the few survivors of the dinosaur age, Sri Lanka’s very own ‘Dundee’ has trudged along the banks of rivers on a journey down the misty corridors of time in search of the secrets of our forefathers and the more modern techniques through which the rural folk co-exist with this reptile. After his arduous search across the country, Anslem de Silva, well-known for his work on creatures slimy and slithery, has brought the strange but amazing “traditional methods” that Sri Lankans deploy in the prevention of crocodile attacks to world-focus. This is through a well-researched piece in the latest Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter out on April 26. No stranger to crocodiles, Mr. de Silva had observed these creatures (which interestingly have changed little for many million years since the dinosaurs) while still a boy in his hometown of Matara. During this study, he has not only had long chats with village elders, traditional snake-bite physicians, astrologers and boatmen but also traced families affected by crocodile attacks after meticulously clipping and filing news items of such incidents as well as spreading the word that he would like to be told about such incidents. Two species, the Mugger (Crocodylus palustris) and the Saltwater (C. porosus) crocodiles glide in and out of a variety of habitats such as rivers, streams and wewas (man-made tanks), coming into contact with people who also use these water bodies for drinking, bathing, washing clothes and to earn a living through fishing and harvesting aquatic or semi-aquatic edible and non-edible plants, Mr. de Silva says. Pointing out that both the Mugger and the Saltwater crocodiles are known to attack humans, livestock and pets such as dogs, he explains that people have resorted to various forms of prevention handed down from their ancestors which include both physical and spiritual. Titled ‘Prevention of crocodile attacks in Sri Lanka: Some traditional methods’, Mr. de Silva has put the spotlight on them through the newsletter published in Australia but distributed worldwide by the Crocodile Specialist Group of the IUCN – Species Survival Commission. Delving into spiritual practices including inscribed charms and talismans and protective mantras, this ‘crocodile hunter’ of a different kind has unearthed a granite stone artifact, irregularly hexagonal, around 46 cm in length, width and height, with an intricate talisman engraved on the upper surface, with the charm inscribed on the other four sides. Although now at the Dutugemunu Temple of the Sandarawela Rathnasara Pirivena, in Ganegama, Baddegama, down south, the stone dating from circa 1469-1474 AD had originally been found in the Gin Ganga at Baddegama, Mr. de Silva’s research, funded by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, has revealed. Saltwater baby croc hiding in mangrove vegetation On his forays into the wild as well as to more inhabited areas where men, women and children come face-to-face with crocodiles, his path had been made smoother by the research already in place of former Professor of History and Archaeology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Mendis Rohanadeera and the assistance rendered by former Director (General Services) of the Archaeology Department, M.B. Herath. The charm written in stone starts with salutations to Lord Buddha and various deities and then invokes protection for all humans from male and female crocodiles, says Mr. de Silva, pointing out that it ends with the disclosure that “...this is the crocodile charm that tied the crocodiles and she crocodiles”. Incidentally, Rohanadeera’s research has suggested that the charm and talisman are the work of scholar-monk Ven. Thotagamuwe Rahula of the 15th Century who gets a mention in history textbooks in schools. Mr. de Silva has also been told of charmed stones in the Nilwala Ganga, at the main bathing spot in Matara town and at Nadulgala, and in a river at Tissamaharama, but laments that they have not been discovered yet. From granite stones to mantras, he has uncovered two short ones of four to 10 words recorded in 1954 by Gnanaloka which people were supposed to recite before entering waters inhabited by crocodiles. “Om Sumas Shri Devane Muka Bandrama,” was an incantation to god Sumas to tie the mouth of the crocodile not to bite, the Sunday Times understands. Widely known but now extinct in the country, Mr. de Silva recalls just one instance where a police officer of the Mankulam Police Station spoke of a diver from his village of Manampitiya who used charms to protect himself before seeking the bodies of crocodile victims in the Pali Aru and Kidapuchchan kulam. Looking worldwide, he cites Borneo where crocodile charmers are still popular and our very own ‘shark charmers’ of yore who protected divers harvesting oysters during the British era. With dengue on the rise and mosquito repellents both local and foreign being sold over the counter, it comes as no surprise that herbal pills had been used in Sri Lanka to repel even bigger creatures. Bhagawath Jeewara Guliya was the answer for crocodiles, it is learnt, containing plants, seeds and other ingredients but also being prepared under specific conditions and rites governed by auspicious times. There is a strong belief that crocodile attacks could be kept at bay if the pill mixed with the juice of the kotakimbula plant (Ficus hispida) is put into a river or tank infested with crocodiles, Mr. de Silva’s research has found. The toxic effects of various plants such as the unripe fruit of kukuruman (Randia dumetorum) are used by villagers to catch fish, although this practice is prohibited by law, he states, explaining that in Kalkudah people make a paste of unripe kukuruman to poison fish. Have you heard of kimbul kotu, asks this crocodile expert, who along with his team studied 70 of these crocodile exclusion enclosures, both abandoned and in use, along the Nilwala Ganga from Modara to Paraduwa in Matara. Interesting details emerge of these “physical barriers” against crocs. They could be small enclosures (about 3X3m) erected by individual families for bathing and washing clothes and utensils or large enclosures by a pradeshiya sabha or urban council for communal use. A large enclosure opposite Matara town used by many people for several decades had been washed away by the 2004 tsunami but not re-erected, says Mr. de Silva who as a boy had bathed there in the mid-1950s. Traditional enclosures are constructed of thick kitul palm (Caryota urens) planks or long hardwood poles driven firmly into the riverbed, the two ends of the enclosure abutting the banks while those with metal rods and wire have come in more recent times. Traditional and metal enclosures have fencing only on three sides, it is learnt. Communal crocodile exclusion enclosure All crocodile attacks that occurred during the research period involved people bathing, washing clothes or fishing outside an enclosure or in areas sans one, stressed Mr. de Silva. Meanwhile, he says that sometimes, crocodiles stray into domestic compounds at night, to prey on pets or poultry and this has led to the construction of metal exclusion fences. People’s negligence led to attacks Let them live, is conservationist and current Vice Chairman of the Crocodile Specialist Group, IUCN for South Asia and Iran, Anslem de Silva’s plea to Sri Lankans, not only because he has found that almost all crocodile attacks were due to the negligence of people but also as these reptiles are of vital importance for the ecosystem and thus to the survival of humans. “They are a relic from the past and should be safeguarded. Crocodiles in fact saw the extinction of the dinosaurs.” The victims were aware of the presence of crocs in the water where they were attacked in 90% of the 131 cases examined (interviewed) by Mr. de Silva during his human-crocodile conflict study. “People from the wet zone hill country, who recently settled in the dry zone under the Accelerated Mahaweli Project were initially ignorant of crocodile habits and as such vulnerable, with dry zone tanks being the main Mugger habitats,” he says. The crocodile charm Based on the accounts of attack victims and witnesses, the Sunday Times understands that the crocodiles had observed people engaged in water-based activities over a period of time before attacking them. “This would imply that some attacks were not the result of a casual encounter with potential prey, but reflected direct hunting,” stresses Mr. de Silva. Words of wisdom and guidance on how the authorities, the government and the local authorities, could protect people from the jaws of crocodiles come from this expert: Make vulnerable populations aware of the dangers posed by crocodiles Instal and maintain physical protective structures such as crocodile exclusion enclosures and fences leaving adequate space along the bank for the crocodiles to roam at night Put up large warning signs in danger areas When resettling people in areas where there are crocodiles the community should be advised on the safety measures that need to be taken The role of NGOs should not be ignored as recently the World Wildlife Fund/American Red Cross Partnership installed a few ‘crocodile-fences’ along the Nilwala Ganga in Matara (on Mr. de Silva’s recommendations) Herbal and chemical crocodile repellents should be investigated, taking into consideration the adverse or toxic effects which could endanger other aquatic fauna, flora or render the water unfit for human use Source:http://sundaytimes.lk/110508/Plus/plus_01.html

Killing of Ragama croc frowned on by environmentalists

Two victims, a human and a crocodile, in a tragedy played out at Ragama. Sebastian Angelo Uday Kumara, 36, who went missing on January 26, is believed to have been killed by a crocodile at the Meda marsh in Ragama town while the alleged killer-croc captured by people of the area last week, breathed its last in agony on Wednesday night.

The 15-foot crocodile was trussed up and dragged here and there by residents who captured it. Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara

The crocodile had been captured by using a chicken, with a large hook hidden inside the creature, as bait. With hundreds of people milling around to get a glimpse, the massive Saltwater crocodile, over 15-feet in length, which had swallowed the chicken, hook and all had been trussed up tightly, dragged here and there and hammered on the head with an axe and seemed to be in terrible agony, when the Sunday Times went to the area.

This tragedy highlights the need to mitigate the human-crocodile conflict (HEC) as humans invade the territory of this endangered species in Sri Lanka, environmentalists stressed, with Anslem de Silva, Vice Chairman, Crocodile Specialist Group IUCN/SSC for South Asia and Iran, urging local government authorities to put up warning boards in areas where crocodiles are spotted, so that people are aware of the danger.

The Ragama crocodile had swallowed the hook-embedded bait two or three days before Wednesday, the Sunday Times learns. Transported carefully to the National Zoological Gardens at Dehiwela by officials of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) under the instructions of DWC’s Dr. Tharaka Prasad, a team of Zoo veterinary surgeons, along with Dr. D.S. Kodikara called in for the purpose was awaiting the animal on Wednesday night to operate on it immediately to remove the hook. However, the crocodile died a few minutes after being brought in, it is learnt.

The four-inch hook bent in the shape of an anchor had severely injured the oesophagus and surrounding tissue of the crocodile, said Zoo Veterinary Surgeon, Dr. Jagath Jayasekara when contacted by the Sunday Times, explaining that the necrosis around the area indicated that the hook had been swallowed two or three days earlier.

There could be two possibilities, the Sunday Times understands. The animal may have swallowed the bait earlier and hidden in agony and then pulled out by people when it weakened on Wednesday, or people may have found it as soon as it swallowed the hook and harassed it without informing officials until Wednesday.

The injury from a sharp weapon on the head had been inflicted around Tuesday evening, said Dr. Jayasekara, pointing out that it had fractured the skull and caused trauma to the brain.
The stomach contents, the post-mortem had found, included bones which the Zoo vets suspect are human and also tortoises, cattle hooves, bones of small carnivores such as cats and dogs, nails of fishing cats and lots of polythene, he said, adding that on the request of the Ragama Coroner M. Priyankara Lal, the bones suspected to be human have been sent to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Ragama Medical Faculty for examination. This is most probably to establish whether the bones are those of Kumara.

“It is against the law to harass or kill a protected animal such as this crocodile,” explained Dr. Jayasekara, while other environmentalists said that people should be discouraged from taking the law into their own hands without calling in the relevant officials, even in the face of a human killing.

While Zoo Director Bhashwara Senanka Gunarathna has instructed that the crocodile should be kept as an exhibit at their museum, the Ragama Coroner Mr. Lal who had returned an open verdict on the death of Kumara is due to take up the hearing on February 24.

A boy of about 12 who heard and saw the photos of the crocodile in agony summed up the tragedy well when he said, “We go into their (crocs’) home and when they do what is instinctive to them (predation), we kill them.”

The hook that had been used inside the chicken that was used as a bait

Scheme to separate man and croc
Referring to the two types of crocodiles found in Sri Lanka, Mr. Anslem de Silva said the Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and the Mugger (Crocodylus palustris) play an important role in the eco-system.
Crocodiles are apex predators (adult crocodiles have no natural predators in the eco-system) and also a keystone species, surviving from the time of the dinosaurs.

These factors point to the need to protect crocodiles, Mr. de Silva said, referring to an e-mail sent to him by Dr. Brandon Sideleau, a world authority on croc attacks which states, "……it's sad the crocodile died. I am assuming there are not many of that size in the area".

A survey of Mr. de Silva has found that over about 15 years more than 130 people have been attacked with 35 deaths. More than 50 crocodiles have also been killed.

Source:http://sundaytimes.lk/120212/News/nws_21.html

Sri Lanka over-fished by estimated 600 illegal vessels: report

Feb 19, 2012 (LBO) - The sea around Sri Lanka is facing the danger of being overfished by an estimated 600 illegal vessels a day, and marine reserves may have to be declared to conserve fish stocks, a media report said.


The Sunday Times newspaper quoting John Church, an international fisheries and maritime security specialist as saying that an estimated 600 illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) vessels were operating in Sri Lankan waters at any given time.

Most of the media attention in recent times has been on several hundred Indian fishing vessels entering Sri Lankan waters under cover of darkness.

But the Sunday Times said Church told a forum at Kadirgmar Institute in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo that unlicensed Japanese tuna fishing vessels alone may be causing losses of 30 to 50 million dollars in foregone license fees.

Church is involved in a fisheries management protection program for Sri Lanka, the report said.

Church had said Sri Lanka may have to declare about 20 to 25 percent of the coastal zone as marine reserves to prevent depletion of fish stocks. When left undisturbed, fish stocks tend to bounce back quickly, he had said.

Church has said that according to one report 17,000 IUU vessels had entered Sri Lankan waters over a 5 - month period.

The island's fisheries ministry has said a vessel monitoring system has already been selected and will be operational soon.

Source:http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=143877382

A weekend in the wild

A peacock’s plumage is one of the most gorgeous sights in nature, but the poor bird is cursed with a hideous shrieking call. This was the sound that woke me up this morning at the rustic house we drove over six hours from Colombo to reach.

Lovingly built by a famous Sri Lankan architect on her paddy field on the edge of the Wasgamua National Park, the house is made of wattle and thatch, and is lit by a feeble solar-powered system. I can’t charge my laptop, so unless I can finish this piece soon, I fear my computer will run out of juice.

But this is an ideal spot to charge my own personal batteries. Last night, we sipped our drinks outside, watching a growing number of fireflies on the surrounding trees. There used to be a lot of these flashing insects when I was growing up. Even as a young man in Lahore, I recall seeing thousands of jugnus in the city’s parks. No more, alas. They say fireflies are a barometer of pollution, and sadly, traffic in cities around the world has wiped them out.

Competing with the fireflies were bright stars that illuminated the sky. There is little light pollution where we are presently, so we can watch the nightly show nature puts on, but is almost invisible in our cities.

The nearby national park is home to elephants, bears, deer and leopards, among many other animals. The lake that laps against our friend’s property was full of numerous birds when we had our coffee on its bank this morning. We were told by our hosts that they had counted 188 species and sub-species of birds around their lovely weekend cottage.

Apparently, elephants often leave the park to raid the surrounding paddy fields, including the one belonging to our hosts. To neutralise the electrified fence that’s supposed to keep them in, they drop branches on the wires, and walk through the gap they have created.

Despite the protection they get in Sri Lanka’s twenty-plus national parks, wild elephants are under threat from several directions. Although the murderous civil war is over, there are still mines that regularly kill and cripple the poor animals. Then there are adult and baby elephants killed by trains; according to specialists, these deaths generally occur when trains are running late.

Apparently, these intelligent animals are aware of normal timings, and keep clear of the tracks. But often, baby elephants get scared and freeze when a train is approaching, and the adults crowd around to protect them. Drivers are unable to stop in time to save the unfortunate animals.

But the biggest threat comes from farmers who protect their fields from hungry elephants by using guns, or explosive devices that usually maim them, and cause them to die in great pain.

Nevertheless, it is remarkable that even during the long civil war, the Sri Lankan state continued to maintain its network of national parks. Millions of acres across the small country have been set aside to protect the abundant wildlife. The fact that hunting is prohibited means that even outside the parks, it is possible to see all kinds of animals and
birds.

Over the last five years or so, Sri Lanka has emerged as a major whale-watching centre. I have seen several varieties of the mammoth cetaceans, together with scores of dolphins that often swim across the boat’s bow as they make playful patterns in the sea.

The biggest national park is at Yalla, towards the east of the island, about an hour and a half from our beach house. I have often bounced through it on open jeeps in an effort to see its elusive leopards. However, this has become such a popular tourist destination that every time a rare animal is sighted, local drivers call their mates on their cells, and within minutes, the spot resembles Oxford Circus at rush hour.

In their frantic efforts to show their clients a leopard and thus earn a fat tip, drivers often take unnecessary risks, and friends tell me two of the big cats have been killed as a result. Add this unpleasant scramble to the deterioration in the roads in the park, and a safari at Yalla isn’t what it used to be. So I, for one, have decided to opt out until things change. Luckily, there are lots of other parks to visit.

In Pakistan, by contrast, virtually unrestricted hunting has decimated our wildlife. The splendid markhor is close to extinction, as is the rare snow leopard. Years ago, I remember going on a fishing trip with friends to Azad Kashmir. When we cast our hooks at a spot on the Neelum River that had been described by the old Gazetteers as being abundant in mahsheer, we were told by a local that the iconic fish had been wiped out in that area. Apparently, army officers would toss hand grenades into the water to stun the fish that would then float to the surface.

Then, of course, the flagrant poaching of the endangered houbara bustard by petty Arab sheikhs with government connivance has been a national scandal for decades. Despite international condemnation, every winter these so-called sportsmen descend on Pakistan with their hawks and their Humvees and kill yet more bustards. As these birds can’t fly very far, I fail to see where the sport lies. Apparently, its meat is supposed to be an aphrodisiac for our brethren from the Gulf. I wish they’d try crow meat to revive their flagging potency.

As I come to the end of this piece, I see I still have enough battery life to quickly read the online edition of this newspaper, and to check my emails. In the distance, I can hear another peacock shrieking, while a kingfisher swoops into the lake, reminding me of the late Taufiq Riffat’s wonderful poem about a kingfisher who misses his prey for the first time. “Will they jeer you then?” asked the poet. Not me, old friend.

Source:http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/30/a-weekend-in-the-wild.html

Call A Friend If You See A Leopard. Actually, Call Them All.

Yala has been described as a natural and national resource, a National Park with a world wide repute. But it is now increasingly  getting a bad reputation – the reason, according to Conservationist  and trustee of the Leopard Trust Sri Lanka, Rukshan Jayawardena, is because of the lack of discipline and flouting of rules within the National Park.

It is now a common practice that when a leopard is spotted, the drivers call a friend, or two, or five, and all the vehicles race to catch the sighting. “It is a really bad situation. The drivers are rushing around, responding to information about sightings. They are extremely reckless as they try to get there before the crowd. It creates  a huge leopard traffic jam. Around 30- 40 vehicles on a 10 feet wide road, all speeding. It gets really chaotic, and some of them even go off the road,” Jayawardena said. “You cannot simply get down, have tea and drive off the road as you wish at a National Park.”

According to Jayawardena however, despite  the responsibility resting with the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), they are poorly funded, and find it difficult to even patrol the borders as they do not have adequate funds for vehicles. They are underpaid too, and with such “disgruntled foot soldiers” the impact on the wilderness and wildlife is huge.

“Ultimately, the Government has to make decisions about the resources. This is what brings in revenue  and it should be fed back to build infrastructure and pay staff  better salaries. The nature of the job is such that it is not a 9 – 5 job, but they are expected to respond 24 hours. If you starve the department and expect to make a revenue too, how do you hope to sustain this in the future?” he asked.
This issue however, doesn’t just concern one party or group: it is actually something that everyone, from the drivers and rangers to the park visitors, to the tourist  board and telecommunication service providers, should look into. As Jayawardena said, the short term gain is “unsustainable.”
“It is an abuse of modern technology. Very few people look for leopards, the other simply call. It is a pathetic state, the drivers are more dexterous with the phone than with tracking the animals. If there is a signal blockage, say, during the peak hours of park visits, then people will have to look out  for leopards the old fashioned way. They then can’t call in all four directions and hit 70 – 90 kmph on a narrow, straight forest road. If an animal jumps across, then there will be a collision.”

He added that there were two reported  leopard deaths last year in Yala, and the investigations on the matter were swept under the rug. “There should have been a fine, an investigation. But there was nothing. The only way we got to know was because visitors to the park had seen the dead animals. It was then the DWC did a postmortem. But nothing happened beyond that, no action was taken and the incidents are repeated.”

These road kills are actually a cost to the country as a whole. National Parks have a unique eco-system, where everything is naturally  interdependent and connected. As Jayawardena explained, if something is tampered with, it wi ll collapse, and this, according to him, has to a certain extent occurred at Yala. Bear sightings for instance, he says, are getting rarer. “Yala is particularly bad. Other National Parks are similar.”

Although Yala rakes in revenue for the country, and despite being a National Park accorded with  the highest protected status, poachers have a field day. “A lot of violations take place, from logging  to poaching. Anti-poaching is not happening,” he said, adding that for an anti-poaching patrol to go on duty, there is a long procedure, which is counter-productive at the end of the day.
“The overall attitude is bad, this is not a blanket statement, but people get off with bribes or influence and this happens increasingly. The big companies need to move to better practices too, and we should slowly start untangling, lobbying  and putting pressure to bring these practices to an end,” he said.
In a similar vein, other environmentalists too have spoken extensively about the issue. Environmental lawyer, Jagath Gunewardena for instance spoke about the phot o frenzy, and how everyone just wants a close up shot of a leopard. According to him, disturbing an animal in itself is an offence under the law. This most certainly includes chasing. “Yala is severely understaffed and over visited. When the two come together, it is difficult to even guard the boundaries. There are too many thrill seekers visiting Yala, many who just want to take a close up shot of a leopard.”

Recently I came across an interesting  blog post mentioning a passenger who had in fact sustained an injury in a speeding vehicle at Yala. To quote the blog jestforkicks.blogspot.com: “The jeep drivers, eager to earn money are hell bent on trying to show their clients as many animals as possible, so as soon as word is received of a  sighting everyone races to the spot. Quite apart from the dangers to passengers, the roar of engines must surely be disturbing the wildlife, not to mention wildlife being run over by vehicles .”

But even for that perfect shot, the thrill of seeing an animal, it is a far cry from seeing them in their natural habitat, which is actually the point of a National Park, if there are so many vehicles racing around, and people openly disregarding the rules of the park. The price of thrill seeking is far too steep it seems. We are steadily trading away our natural resources, what makes us unique, at the hands of careless commercialism. Despite the attention this issue is gaining, the question  remains, will the relevant authorities take this into careful consideration and remedy  the situation before it is too late?


Source:http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/02/19/call-a-friend-if-you-see-a-leopard-actually-call-them-all/

Giant Killer Croc Meets Death

A 15 foot long crocodile, suspected to be a man-eater, was killed on Wednesday, 8 February by villagers in Ragama. The injured crocodile was then taken to the Dehiwala Zoo for treatment, but on arrival was found dead.

The Zoo veterinarian Dr. Jagath Jayasekara confirmed the 900 kilogram marsh crocodile or geta kimbula had a head injury several days old as well as an anchor shaped hook in its body which has severely damaged its respiratory tract and gastro intestinal tract. It had been injured on the head by a sharp object and the wound was 4 inches wide and 2 inches deep and penetrated its skull.
“We were informed of this and prepared for emergency treatment, but the crocodile was already dead before treatment could be given. We discovered this when we opened its mouth,” he said.
“We opened the carcass and found feeding material like cattle hooves, bones, polythene and what we suspect is a human leg and a hand bone. We are yet to receive a confirmation on this,” he said.
According to Jayasekara, it is one of the biggest crocodiles found in recent times in the country and the carcass has been preserved for the zoo museum.

There are two species of crocodiles in Sri Lanka, the mugger or marsh crocodile and the salt water crocodile. While not all crocodiles are ferocious, and some even allow people to bathe or fish in their waters, they are carnivorous and are often perceived as a threat by people living in the vicinity. Crocodiles however are an endangered species and protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance. Killing or harming a crocodile is a non-bailable offence and anyone found doing so can be arrested without a warrant.

Nevertheless, according to Jayasekara, it is not the first time that something of this nature has happened. He said  2 months ago, a 10 foot long crocodile was brought in for treatment, but succumbed to injuries before treatment. This crocodile too had been injured badly with a sharp object.
Crocodiles are the top predators in their ecosystem. They feed on fish and prevent larger and invasive species from dominating the eco system. They also feed on weak and sick fish and help keep fish populations and the water clean and uncontaminated. Usually, the presence of crocodiles indicates a clean aquatic environment.

In the past, crocodiles have however been hunted for their hide for the manufacture of handbags, shoes and belts, as well as for crocodile meat. Crocodile meat is dried and sold as medicinal items or even as shark fish. The dried meat allegedly cures asthma. They have also been killed because they are a hinderance to bathing and fishing. Apart from being hunted, crocodiles are  threatened by the destruction or alteration of their natural habitats.


Source:http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/02/12/giant-killer-croc-meets-death/

One arrested for selling leopard meat

COLOMBO - A Sri Lankan man was caught red handed by police trying to sell the meat and skin of a leopard, an animal listed in the country’s endangered species list.

After having hunted the animal in the forest reserve adjoining the Adam’s Peak, the man was tring to sell the meat and skin of the animal, said police.

The Bogawanthalawa area, where the Adam’s Peak is located, was declared as a World Heritage Site in 2010. The Sri Lankan leopard is classified as Endangered by International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Police sources confirmed that the full grown leopard was a six-foot long. The offender was selling the meat for less than $ 3 per kilogramme. 


news@khaleejtimes.com

The historic Talangama Wewa is under threat

He sits on a bench pondering over the fate of his beloved Talangama wewa and its environs. The tranquillity and serenity broken only by bird-calls cannot still the turbulence within him today. For, the wewa which helps the 175 farmers of the area to irrigate their land, brings them a bountiful crop of paddy from around 200 acres and calms their frazzled lives by its beauty, is under threat.



This is why 68-year-old E. Percy Perera will fight tooth and nail to protect the wewa in the Madiwela catchment area and its surrounding Wetlands. “This may be the only place in the Western Province where children can actually see an ancient pita vana (for the outflow of excess water) cut through a kalu gala (rock),” he says.

Percy and the other farmers are urging the authorities to raise the level of the spill-basin built in the early 1990s which is diverting water to the Kelani River to stem the flooding of Colombo. The area is not only assailed by this issue – there are also alleged moves by the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) to dig up part of the Wetland and create a man-made lake, bund and all, residents said.

As Percy’s visha vaidya (snake-bite specialist) Seeya K.P.P. Nanayakkara did back in the 1950s, planning the water release to the rice-fields and protecting the ela-wel, Percy has taken upon himself to keep tabs on what is happening at the wewa and guide or fight the authorities whenever the tank or its environs is in jeopardy.

The Talangama wewa originally covering 44 acres is believed to have been built by Parakrama Bahu VI during the Kotte Kingdom. But, smiles Percy taking us down the pathways of history, the tank was not built primarily for irrigation but to bathe the court elephants. The elephants had been taken to a place close to Malabe junction, dubbed athun kedeniya, to be fed and by evening given a dip at the wewa which was the palace thatakaya, before being taken back.



Percy: Fighting tooth and nail to protect his beloved wewa

Gradually, with encroachment the tank had shrunk to 20 acres, says Percy. By 1989-90, when the need arose for more water to be retained in the wewa, the old spill-level was raised by 18”, explains Percy, adding that the tank then reclaimed more than 10 acres of its lost area.

The Colombo Flood Retention Plan to stymie flooding followed, with the SLLRDC putting forward a scheme to construct the spill-basin with a 20” depth. “We feared for the tank,” he eecalls, “for up to then even if there had been a drought for six months, the wewa always had water because it’s fed by ulpath (springs).”

Before the spill-basin was constructed, if there were heavy rains and the tank had excess water, it would spill over the bund and the natural cycle took over with the Wetlands absorbing it. We could also open the pita vana, he says.

But the protests were not heeded and even the plea that instead of a permanent spill-basin, there should be sluice gates which could shut the outflow of water was ignored, laments Percy. “They also cut a canal through high ground in the Amaragoda area,” he says, warning that if there are torrential rains the water will come back along the canal to the lake surrounding Parliament and Parliament would get submerged.



The spill-basin with the water flowing out slowly but surely from the tank has given a raw deal to the farmers. Whereas those days they were able to do both the Yala in April and the Maha in October, if the rains don’t come now no water can be given twice or thrice, grumbles Percy, citing how “kumburu sawuththuvuna” during the Yala of 2011.



The diversion has also caused some parts of the tank to dry up with invasive plant species (such as wel atha) spreading rapidly and the Wetland could very well disappear along with the birds. With the destruction of plants, fewer birds like the kithala (induru kukula) are seen, because they lay their delicate eggs on the nelum-leaf, he says, ecstatic on seeing a flock of seru.



A villager points to the area where the lake is supposed to be dug

Both groups of migrants, which come a-visiting either the north or the south of the country can usually be seen here, says Percy. Backed by the villagers, Percy’s action plan for his heritage is simple:

Raise the spill-basin to store more water in the wewa and if there is excess water after the rains let it flow from the ancient pita vana and through the village like it has done for centuries; clear the invasive plants; prevent land-grabs from the wel-yaya and the wewa reservations; and crackdown on rubbish-dumping and waste-water being channelled into the wewa.

Will Percy succeed in his battle to save the Talangma wewa, its environs (declared a protected area) and the intricate eco-systems while engaging in paddy cultivations like his forefathers did? The answer lies with the bureaucrats. When contacted, an Irrigation Department source said the proposals are being studied.

Walk to create awareness

‘Walk for Wetlands’ from Pelawatte to the Talangama Wetlands next Sunday, February 12, at 9 a.m. will be part of measures to create awareness. Involving the local community including residents, organizations and schools and youth environment groups and environment-conscious organizations, the walk hopes to drive home the message that while enjoying the right to live in a picturesque environment, they also have the responsibility of nurturing and caring for it.

The walk follows an environmental-sociological survey conducted by two past pupils of the Overseas School of Colombo, Olivia Molden (as part of an undergraduate thesis) and Joanne Kotelawala, British Council International Climate Champion and bio-chemistry student.

The main concern highlighted by residents was the increased levels of pollution in the area, while around 50% had indicated that biodiversity loss and filling Wetlands were also recognizable threats. The survey had found that tourism is welcome in the area if it does not clash with the Environmental Protection Zoning.

Who needs a man-made lake?

Confusion and concern surround Kekunugahawatte at Talangama North with residents claiming that some paddy fields and an ela are to be made into a man-made lake while the SLLRDC stressed that only those canals of the existing Averihena wewa would be cleared and dredged.

Whether there is a need to widen the culvert on Amaragoda Road is also being looked into, an SLLRDC spokesperson said. Why should an artificial lake be created, questioned a resident, pointing out that turning marshy habitat into a lake will not necessarily control flooding. It will only increase the water withholding capacity but not the water-absorbing capacity, which is an important factor in flood control. The destruction of the Wetland would be disastrous.

Another SLLRDC spokesperson explained that the Survey Department was demarcating the boundaries as the government was hoping to Gazette the Wetlands to preserve them, while the UDA was drawing up a zoning plan to identify residential and commercial areas. The development work of the Madiwela East canal diversion would only be with regard to the Averihena wewa and other “retention tanks” in the Colombo upper basin.

This area has been declared “environmentally sensitive” by the Central Environmental Authority, the Sunday Times understands, and diverse fauna inhabit the area including many winged beauties
In just one morning, environmentalist Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne had spotted 70 bird species and according to him, “Talangama is one of the finest urban wildlife sites in the world comparable to the London Wetland Centre which is rated as Europe's top urban wildlife site”.

A large lake would be relatively barren for wildlife compared to the biodiversity-rich natural Wetland which Talangama is at present, he says. It is also home to many mammals including the endemic Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, the Fishing Cat and the endemic Yellow-striped Chevrotain (Mouse-deer), he says in an e-mail, adding that there are also over 30 species of dragonflies.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120205/Plus/plus_02.html