Monday, October 3, 2011

Kalutara to have first wildlife sanctuary

Various types of flora and fauna found in Kodigahakanda forest. Picture by Nissanka Wijerathna

The Kodigahakanda forest in the Olabouwa North Grama Niladhari division in Horana will be declared a sanctuary in November under the Forest Conservation Department, MEDEF President K.Munagama told the Daily News.

"This is the first wildlife sanctuary in the Kalutara district," he said.

Kodigahakanda bio-diversity centre at Gonapola was opened by Kalutara district Parliamentarian Vidura Wickramanayake on Sunday.

Various types of flora and fauna found in Kodigahakanda forest. Picture by Nissanka Wijerathna

Kodigahakanda Conservation Society and Mihithala Mithuro Environmental Development Foundation (MEDEF) with the financial support of Global Environmental Foundation (GEF) through United Nation's Development Program (UNDP), built this centre to conserve the biodiversity of the forest with the participation of the regional community. The initial financial allocation for the centre was Rs 1.5 million.

Kodigahakanda is an 18 acre secondary scrub jungle on top of a granite based hill rock, 378 feet above sea-level at its highest point. It is located in a 600 acre coconut plantation. Though the land belongs to philanthropist Rohan De Soyza, he has kept the forest without exploiting it for economic gains. He had wanted to keep the jungle unharmed for the benefit of diverse creatures living there.

According to studies, the forest has 133 varieties of flora,18 types of reptiles, 4 types of amphibians, 16 types of fish, 45 types of butterflies, 72 types of birds and 17 types of mammals.

The villagers of the region had established the Kodigahakanda Conservation Community Foundation and Mihithala Mithuro Environmental Development Foundation 16 years ago to minimize the harm caused to the forest.

Kalutara district Parliamentarian Vidura Wickramanyaka addressing the opening ceremony of the biodiversity centre, said the government should have a firm and clear policy on environment and a productive dialogue among the public to preserve the environment for the next generation. A memorandum will be presented to Parliament to declare Horana as a special environment region, he said.

The Global Environment Fund through its Small Grants Programme (SGP) provided grants to Kodigahakanda biodiversity center to improve the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods.

Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/09/29/news45.asp

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Speed limit for trains to protect elephants

Following several rounds of discussion Railway officials together with Wildlife Conservation Authorities will impose speed limits for trains on certain areas on the Northern and Eastern railway track, Wildlife and Agrarian Services Minister S.M. Chandrasena said.

"According to the talks we had with Railway officials, the trains need to limit their speed in areas where elephants cross the railway track," Minister Chandrasena told the 'Sunday Observer'.

According to the Wildlife Conservation Department Director General H.D. Ratnayake new signposts will be set up at these spots on the Northern and Eastern railway track. "These signposts will alert train drivers that elephants cross these spots and drivers

would have to reduce their speed," said Ratnayake.

"We are exploring the possibility of clearing jungle patches at these spots. This is due to the low visibility at the bends along the jungle tracks which could cause accidents," Ratnayake said.

Around five elephants were killed this year due to train accidents and there have been 180 elephant deaths, according to the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Wildlife officials said a large number of elephants die due to hakkapatas set up in cultivations by farmers to protect crops from elephants.

Source:http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2011/09/25/new31.asp





Source:http://www.divaina.com/2011/09/25/feature14.html

Sinharaja bird wave – On the wings of a wildlife spectacle

The Sinharaja rainforest’s ‘Mixed Species Feeding Bird Flocks’ is a unique spectacle that can also be promoted as a tourist attraction, a leading zoologist said recently. Addressing a gathering of wildlife enthusiasts and tourism industry representatives at a lecture titled “Sinharaja Bird Wave” at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce auditorium, Prof. Sarath Kotagama, said that two or more species feeding and moving in the same direction is known as a ‘Mixed Species feeding flock’.


In Sinharaja, some of the flocks could have as many as 35-50 individual birds from dozens of different species. It is a spectacular sight and the usually silent Sinharaja forest erupts into a cacophony of bird calls for a few minutes, as the flock approaches. On an average, there could be about 12 different species of birds, with some flocks recording as much as 30 - 40 different birds. Some researchers have recorded flocks consisting of over hundred individuals.

The birds do not stay for a long time in one place, as they move forward all the while feeding. In a few minutes, the noise recedes and the forest is once again engulfed in silence. Bird flocks is a phenomenon well documented but least understood, Prof. Kotagama said. Researches have revealed its formation, function and other interesting scenarios. The nucleus or the centric bird species that take the lead in forming the bird flocks are the Orange-billed Babbler and Crested Drongo. Usually, in the morning, the Crested Drongo that inhabits the forest canopy, starts calling, which is believed to be the wakeup call to other members of the flock. Then the Orange-billed Babblers start steering the flock forward.

The Sinharaja rainforest, as its name implies, receives plenty of rain. This feature hinders birds from locating food and therefore moving in a group helps them to find food. It is believed that this ‘feeding efficiency’ is one of the reasons for these flock formations. Interestingly, various birds travel in the flock at different levels. A rainforest can be divided into different levels, based on height and vegetation, namely ground, under storey, sub canopy, canopy, above canopy and emergent. Different birds specialise at different levels. For example, when the Orange-billed Babblers feed on the under storey, they disturb lots of insects which take flight. These become easy prey for the birds hovering above at canopy level.
Security is the other major advantage these birds enjoy moving as a unit. Many birds mean many eyes. So they are able to detect a predator and warn others, says Prof. Kotagama. An added advantage is that these birds move at different levels, so that dangers at all levels are covered. When a predator like an owl is present, some of the birds flock closely to mob the intruder. Unable to bear the continuous mobbing by the chattering birds the predator usually gives up and departs.


Prof. Kotagama said that researchers have also identified vocal signals used by the birds to communicate. Of them, the most important is the ‘alarm call’. The Crested Drongos play the role of sentinels, usually warning of any danger from above. As soon as the Drongos make the alarm call, the whole flock goes silent and ‘freezes’, so as not to reveal their location to the probable predator. Only after the Drongos give the ‘all clear’ call do they come out.

Bird watching is becoming popular around the world and Sri Lanka can easily be promoted as one such destination. However, it was important to highlight and present the unique features within the country, if we are to become an Ultimate Wildlife Safari as Sri Lanka Tourism is trying to promote. Citing ‘The Gathering’ which has been nominated as one of the 10 Best Wildlife Spectacular events of the world by LonelyPlanet, Prof. Kotagama said the mixed-species Bird Flocks can be presented to the Tourism industry as the ‘Sinharaja Bird Wave’.

Public lecture
The ‘Sinharaja Bird Wave’ is one of four lectures organised by the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), together with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). Sri Lanka Tourism has declared September the month of Wildlife, particularly focusing on ‘The Minneriya Elephant Gathering’, recently named as the 6th Best Wildlife Spectacle of the World, by the prestigious travel guide LonelyPlanet.

The final lecture of the series will be on Blue Whales, to be delivered by Gehan De Silva Wijeratne on September 28, at 5.30 pm, at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Auditorium, Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2.The Lecture is open to the public free of charge.

International conference on bird flocks in Sinharaja
An International Conference on Bird Flocks was held recently in Sinharaja.
Prof. Kotagama and other zoologists started their researches in Sinharaja as far back as 1981. This was a landmark research started soon after logging at Sinharaja was completely stopped in 1978. Since then, the research on Bird Flocks continued with over 500 observations to date, making the feeding flocks of Sinharaja the most studied Bird Flocks in the world.

To share this knowledge with other researchers who conduct flock studies in other parts of the world, the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL), a local affiliate of BirdLife International, organised an International Conference on Mixed-species Bird Flocks recently in Ratnapura and Sinharaja rainforest. The conference was attended by international experts on bird flocks. Another objective of the conference was to afford university students interested in Ornithology, to get international exposure on flock studies and scientific research.

Workshop on location
FOGSL will also conduct a special four-day workshop on Sinharaja Bird Flocks for bird lovers, in Sinharaja, starting October 8. The team will leave the University of Colombo on October 8, and stay in the rainforest. FOGSL has also opened their trips to non-members and those interested in obtaining an ornithological background knowledge to ‘Sinharaja Bird Wave’. Further details of the programme could be obtained from Prof. Kotagama’s office on fogsl@slt.lk or call 2 501 332.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110925/News/nws_27.html

Sri Lankan government denies opposition's charge of illegal sand dredging and encroachments in Wilpattu sanctuary


Sept 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) has alleged that illegal sand dredging was taking place in lands belonging to the Wilpattu National Park in the northwest.
UNP parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera has told parliament that 15,000 cubes of sand from the Modaragan Aru river, in the park have been illegally dredged.

He has also charged that a government minister had illegally settled some families in land belonging to the sanctuary.

Jayasekera has shown photographs in parliament to prove his allegations.
Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena however has denied the accusations saying there was no sand dredging in Modaragan Aru, except when the navy had dredged the river bank to prevent a possible flood.

As for the families in sanctuary lands, Chandrasena has said the UNP parliamentarian had shown photographs of low income families taken from elsewhere.
 Source:http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11A/Sep24_1316840687JR.php

Friday, September 23, 2011

The violet invader is here to stay

Silently and surreptitiously, a brash but beautiful alien invader has spread its tentacles to most of the water bodies in the country as well as official documentation, flaunting its vivid violet blooms to outshine its humble native cousins, the manel and the olu.



Let alone invading the country’s water bodies it has also got itself hybridized (crossed) with the native manel which is a day-bloomer which could lead to serious consequences including the extinction of the native, the Sunday Times learns, with this being the first record of an invading exotic-native hybridization in Sri Lanka.
The native under threat is manel (N. nouchali Burm. f.) especially the National Flower, Nil-manel (N. nouchali -- N. stellata was the scientific name at the time it was declared in 1986, but now this is the correct name).

The invader is also a threat to olu (N. pubescens Willd.), a night-bloomer, taking over its habitat and making it lose space in the country’s water-bodies, it is understood.

This accused in the dock of a major study that has been carried out across the country, the violet invader, though part of the family of water lilies (Nymphaea) is an ornamental aquatic species believed to have been introduced a long time back and spread rapidly in water bodies to become naturalized, the Sunday Times learns.

To add insult to injury to the natives, not only has the violet-flowered Nymphaea led to the shrinking of pure N. nouchali populations, it has also been erroneously identified as the native in both scientific and non-scientific literature, it is understood.

This error has been carried to such an extreme that after Nil manel was declared the National Flower, the picture depicting it is that of the violet invader, explains Prof. Deepthi Yakandawala of the Peradeniya University, the crusader fighting a lone battle to give a place in the sun to the Nil manel. The Sunday Times in an exclusive story titled, ‘The great pretender’ on November 7, 2010 highlighted the mistaken identity issue with evidence from Prof. Yakandawala.

In a six-year quest, Prof. Yakandawala, Prof. of Botany, Department of Botany, Peradeniya, has trekked to many a tank and water-hole to uncover the imposter-invader. Her labours have now blossomed as a research paper that has been submitted for publication to name the violet-flowered Nymphaea. By her side supporting her with all her work and acting as collaborator is husband Dr. Kapila Yakandawala of the Wayamba University.

The violet invader is a hybrid, stresses Prof. Yakandawala explaining that based on present observations, one of its parents is N. micrantha Gill. & Perr and the other possibly is either N. capensis Thunb or N. caerulea Savigny. Prof. Yakandawala whose business is plants speaks with authority, for her “preliminary investigation” to identify and estimate the extent of the spread of the alien exotic covered more than 120 water bodies in all three major climatic zones – wet, intermediate and dry.
A hybrid occurs when two different plant varieties are crossed to produce the valued attributes of each variety. Hybrids are developed for disease-resistance, size, flowering, colour, taste and any reason a plant might be considered special. In the natural environment, when two closely-related species are present, natural hybridization could invariably occur, it is learnt. (See box)

The violet-flowered Nymphaea occurs in abundance, says Prof. Yakandwala who has waded and sloshed through mud not only in large, medium and small tanks and pools but also climbed into ditches to peer at water lilies during her study, adding that it has also extended its territory to larger tanks which are habitats of other aquatic plants. The large leaves floating on the surface, cuts down a fair percentage of the light that penetrates into the water.

The ability of this invader to conquer the water-bodies could be attributed to its hybrid origin, according to this plant expert, who points out that it is also possible that several introductions were made of this Nymphaea to the country at different stages, because of its ornamental value, paving the way for it to mix, hybridize and initiate the invasiveness. “The most suitable violet-flowered hybrid has got established, extending its territory.”

With the erroneous identification of the violet-flowered Nymphaea species as N. nouchali (Nil manel), the National Flower, they play a prominent role in social, cultural and religious events and could very well have resulted in people being instrumental in its spread, it is understood.

Pinpointing how this invader spreads its tentacles easily, Prof. Yakandawala says the plant does not produce viable seeds but reproduces by vivipary (developing a new plant while still attached to the parent plant), which is an effective method of propagation and dispersal.

Virtually almost all the mature leaves are capable of producing a plantlet at the junction where the petiole meets the leaf lamina. The disclosures with regard to the flawed identity of the Nymphaea with violet flowers, its hybrid origin and the hybridization with native N. nouchali has opened up new avenues for major research on alien invasions into Sri Lanka, she says, adding that these findings provide an excellent opportunity to initiate studies locally on this novel area of hybridization between natives and invasive alien species.

Although thrilled about her findings, Prof. Yakandawala has one major regret that the violet invader continues to be portrayed as the National Flower.

“Even after all the hard and meticulous work, the imposter reigns,” she adds.

Natives under threat

Dealing at length with the dangers being posed by the invader where hybridization is creating populations of Nymphaea with intermediate characters, Prof. Yakandawala points out that scientists engaged in research on a global scale have attributed invasivness to the phenomenon of hybridization.

Plants that result from hybridization between natives and exotics could result in a hybrid with invasiveness, such research has unfolded, this botanist says, stressing that this is something Sri Lanka needs to focus on.

Hybridization of invasive aliens with native flora is currently identified as a major threat which could lead to the extinction of the native flora, she reiterates, giving evidence in the form of work done by researchers worldwide that biota (plants and animals) of islands should receive special attention as this may be a significant threat to rare species, thereby diluting the native gene pool to the point of extinction.

Delving into the work of many other scientists who have engaged in bringing to the fore the importance of plant systematics (the identification of plants), Prof. Yakandawala says it is important to identify the hybrid taxa as the base for studying the invasion ecology of congeneric species.

The basis for such a study lies in the identification of the parent plants. The present incorrect identification of the violet-flowered Nymphae a species as native N. nouchali is a classic example where the former species is treated as a native as well as the National Flower, overlooking the invasiveness, she says.

Some of the worldwide examples are cordgrass, where hybrids between Spartina foliosa (native California cordgrass) and S. alterniflora (alien Atlantic smooth cordgrass) originated in the tidal salt marshes of San Francisco Bay following the introduction of the Atlantic smooth cordgrass into the range of the native. Although earlier, it was assumed that the cordgrass invader was Atlantic smooth cordgrass, later work using molecular markers suggested that the plants invading the new sites were hybrids and pure Atlantic smooth cordgrass plants were common only in sites where they were initially planted.

From studies done in other countries on island plants, Prof. Yakandawala cites the examples of common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), which is locally rare in the British Isles and Canary madrona (Arbutus canariensis) and Hawaiian ebony (Gossypium tomentosum) which are endemic to the Canary and Hawaiian Islands, respectively.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110911/Plus/plus_12.html

Why no one hears the call for conservation

Dr. Sriyanie Miththapala discusses the importance of communicating the message, that saving the earth means saving humans

Save the whales! Save our forests! Save our elephants!

We biologists have been bleating these refrains for over three decades. Our rhetoric remains the same broken record, played over and over again: we are stripping the Earth of its riches, we are poisoning the waters, we are polluting the air and we are overheating the Earth. Yet, the threats remain; the ravaging of the Earth continues.

We have only a quarter of the extent of forests left on our island – one third less than at the turn of the last century. Three hundred and eighty species of animals (241 endemics) and 675 plant species (412 endemics) are considered to be threatened with extinction.

The forests that we are losing are the very forests that soak up carbon dioxide and serve as giant sponges to soak up rainwater, preventing floods and erosion.

The animals and plants that we are losing are those that, together, form interconnected and interdependent units of ecosystems, which provide us humans with a range of life-sustaining services: replenishing the oxygen that we breathe; providing us with food and medicines, fuel and fibre; purifying water, regulating the climate and recycling nutrients; serving as physical barriers to tidal surges; ultimately giving us health, shelter, security and basic materials for a good life.

So why are we not able to convince successive governments and other organizations to stop ravaging our natural capital? Why do our cries go unheeded? Because we biologists do not know how to communicate our concerns, that’s why.
Communication is defined as the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended audience. The communication process is only complete once the receiver has understood the sender.
This means that the message that we biologists are sending to decision makers and anyone who is not a card-carrying environmentalist is, simply, not being understood. Our communications are often unclear. Like the proverbial shopkeeper who puts up a notice on the door of his store saying ‘Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken’, we are sending a message that cannot be understood.
At other times, our communication is, simply, incomplete. We do not specify why something is important. To the average person, a frog is a slimy or warty animal at which one goes ‘Eeeek.’ So why are ‘frogs our friends?’
Inherent in each complete communication message should be three elements. The first element is that the message must contain specific benefits. ‘Save elephants’, ‘Frogs are our friends’ are not good messages because they do not convey what the specific benefit is for the receiver.
Frogs are our friends because they indicate ecological conditions or changes occurring in the environment. When useable water is contaminated by, for example, pollution or habitat degradation, indicator species such as frogs die or become deformed, thereby sending us clear signals that the environment is in trouble.
Using data covering the last four decades, biologists have assessed that the world's amphibian population has probably decreased by more than 50% since the 1950s. Some species have become extinct, while the geographical range of others is rapidly shrinking and yet others display many deformities indicating that something is very wrong indeed. Unlike humans, frogs breathe, in part, through their moist skin.
Moreover, because they live partly in water and partly on land, they easily absorb pollutants through their skin. They are, therefore, much more vulnerable and sensitive to pollution, toxic chemicals, radiation, and habitat destruction. Alarmingly, increased deformities in frogs (frogs with missing, extra or misshapen legs, no eyes etc.) have been linked to higher levels of pollutants including pesticides, heavy metals and ultraviolet radiation in the atmosphere. Their immediate reaction to environmental conditions indicates that all is not well. In addition, frogs feed on pests such as mosquitoes.
The benefits that we accrue from the Earth’s biological resources are enormous. We are used to hearing about the natural resources that we use: food, fodder, fuelwood, fibre etc. Apart from this provisioning, ecosystems found on earth - provide other benefits - services, not only goods - that often go unnoticed and unmentioned. (Ecosystems are groups of species that interact with each other and with the physical environment. Each ecosystem consists of a variety of different species – plants, animals and micro-organisms – interdependent on and interacting with each other in a specific habitat with a given set of physical variables to form a natural unit, with a web of interconnections among species.)
Supporting ecosystem services - such as
  • the diversity of flora and fauna;
  • the manufacture of food by green plants that sustains life on earth;
  • pollination;
  • soil formation;
  • the balancing of gases in the atmosphere that provides oxygen for most life on earth;
  • decomposition and decay of dead plants and animals;
  • cycling of essential nutrients and water – all affect human health and well-being.
Some ecosystems - such as mangroves - provide a physical barrier to storms and their roots serve to regulate floods, while forests regulate the climate, making it even, providing regulating ecosystem services. Cultural ecosystem services provide humans with non-material benefits through spiritual enrichment, development of learning, recreation and aesthetic experience.
All these services ultimately affect human well-being. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment carried out from 2000-2005 presented a framework that showed clearly that through different ecosystem services, ecosystems are essential components of human well-being and contribute positively to human security, providing basic materials for good life, good health and good social relations.
The bottom line is that without ecosystems, humans cannot live. In short, in order to achieve human well-being, it is essential that we also have ecosystem well-being. This is the link that underpins sustainability of livelihoods and of development. And this is the link that is almost always missing in conservation communication.
The second element in a communication message is that it must be easy to remember. Consider the following extract from a scientific journal: ‘Nostrils rounded or oval, lacking a lateral dermal flap. Pupil oval, horizontal. Vomerine ridge present or absent. Tongue oval, emarginate, with or without a papilla. Arms short, slender. Digits slender, with intercalary cartilage, terminating in wide, well-differentiated, grooved, disks. Fingers with or without a lateral dermal fringe.’
This extract is from a taxonomic description about an endemic toad. Such taxonomic descriptions are essential in scientific discovery, but let even a phrase of the above near a decision maker, and a conservation case is lost before it is even begun. On the other hand, saying that frogs are like canaries in a coalmine strikes a chord that is easy to remember. The third element in a message is that it must highlight a difference either from other species or other ecosystems, other countries and even other available options.
Here in Sri Lanka, over the recent decades, over a 100 new frogs and toad species have been discovered. Borneo, Madagascar and New Guinea have the same number of frogs and toad species as Sri Lanka, but they are ten times or more as large. This discovery has simply been astonishing and has made our island a new centre of frog diversity in the world. The discovery has immediately increased the urgency for protecting what little forest remains.
If we remember these three elements in communication, we will fare better in our efforts to convince decision makers to listen to our message. Another key facet in communication is remembering who the receiver is. What one communicates is entirely dependent on who is being communicated to. To a politician, eager for votes, protection of the Critically Endangered Morningside Tree Frog (Taruga fastigo) found only in Morningside Forest Reserve, east of Sinharaja in the Rakwana hill range, and nowhere else in the world, would mean nothing.
Showing that destruction of these patches of forests would increase the likelihood of floods and erosion might. To a school boy – eagerly idealistic - saving the frog for its own value may be sufficient. How one communicates – the channel used – is also dependent on the recipient. A 30-page policy brief about the importance of conserving the frogs of Sri Lanka will not make the slightest dent in the consciousness of a politician, but a five to six-point, pithy presentation might. Similarly, attempting to use the internet as a channel to communicate with villagers is futile.
Another aspect that must never be ignored is that the recipient may have his or her own agenda that often, is political, driven by the thirst for power and position. Therefore, the conservation message must address this agenda. In Sri Lanka, the current rhetoric is for development, more development and yet more development. If development is to be sustainable it must include more than infrastructure development. Sustainable development is defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
This definition contains within two key concepts: 1) the concept of 'needs', specially, the essential needs of the poor and marginalised, to which overriding priority should be given; and 2) the concept that there is a limit to the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.
Sustainable development is based on the assumption that we need to manage three types of capital (assets): economic, social, and natural. Each of these assets is important, and each cannot be consumed indefinitely. For example, we cannot spend money extravagantly without saving for the future; otherwise, we will become poor.
Similarly, we cannot destroy our natural assets without facing a bleak future. The equations are simple: cutting down forests in the wet zone results in the increased likelihood of floods and erosion – in catchment areas this invariably results in siltation of reservoirs. Stripping the dry zone of its forests increases the possibility of its becoming drier and hotter. Denuding mangroves that fringe rivers that feed into estuaries changes the inflow of water into these estuaries, in turn changing their salinity, altering habitats of the food fish that live in them – ultimately affecting the livelihoods of fishermen.
Yet, much of the current development continues without heed to our nation’s natural capital.
Marcel Proust said that ‘The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes, but in having new eyes.’ To paraphrase this, the path to conservation is not to blame politicians, but in finding a means to communicate our conservation message.
Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110911/Plus/plus_14.html

Bare facts of bear deaths

Two sloth-bear deaths within the last three months at the Yala National Park are being thoroughly investigated by the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) following fears by both officials and tourists that there may be cause for concern over the well-being of this endangered species.
The sick bear being treated at Uda Walawe. Pic taken by tourist Nelka von Aspert who assisted DWC officials
“We have more or less ascertained that one died of a respiratory infection which had resulted in pneumonia and the other may have been the victim of a snake-bite,” assured DWC Veterinary Surgeon, Dr. Vijitha Perera who is based at the Elephant Transit Home at Uda Walawe, explaining that they are looking after a third ill bear there.
The DWC went on alert when a bear which looked ill was found dead when officials tracked it in the evening on July 2, the Sunday Times learns. Earlier on June 27, they had picked up another which could hardly walk.

The dead bear’s head was sent for investigation to the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Peradeniya, Dr. Perera said and the findings indicate that it was pneumonia. The bear was also quite old, about 20 years, and may have been weakened by bite wounds suffered in fights with other bears.

The other one which could barely drag itself is now being treated at the Elephant Transit Home, the Sunday Times learns.

It too had a respiratory infection, along with a severe weakness of the hind-legs. “This bear is also quite old, about 25 years, and we have treated it for the infection. Now it is feeding well but the legs are very weak,” said Dr. Perera, explaining that they have ruled out distemper. It is not using its right leg at all and we are carrying out more tests to find out what the cause is.”

The second bear found dead on August 18 was a cub of about 18 months, said Dr. Perera, pointing out that tourists had seen it coming to a water-hole and collapsing. The dead cub had been sent to Peradeniya for tests and it is suspected that it had been bitten by a snake. A few more tests will be needed to confirm this.

With the two deaths, DWC officials have been on alert, checking bear movements closely, the Sunday Times understands, and had seen three bears in four days, indicating that things are normal.

When asked whether there were any reports of bears being in trouble at the Wilpattu National Park, Dr. Perera said officials there indicated that one bear had been injured in a fight with others. Its ear had got torn and officials are keeping a tab as much as possible.

So far there does not seem to be any major illness or threat to the sloth bears in the National Parks, assured Dr. Perera.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110911/Plus/plus_13.html

Snow whites that leap from tree to tree in the Sinharaja canopy

In his book The Natural History of Ceylon (1861), Sir Emerson Tennent says, “A white monkey, taken between Ambepussa and Kornegalle, where they are said to be numerous, was brought to me to Colombo. So striking was its whiteness that it might have been conjectured to be an albino, but for the
circumstance that its eyes and face were black”.

Tennant also mentions that he has heard of White Monkeys from Ridi-galle Wihara in Seven Korles and in Tangalle. Robert Knox in “Seeing Ceylon’ written in 1681 too makes mention of them - “Milk-white both in body and face; but of this sort there is not plenty”.

Are they still there in Sinharaja and its environs?

This is the discovery that members of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle (WCSG) have reported during their recent research studies in the area. “Some of them have a completely white coat and it is like large snow balls falling from the sky when they leap from the canopy of large trees in Sinharaja,” said a researcher of the spectacular sightings of white monkeys in lesser explored areas of the rainforest a few months ago.

Albino or white monkeys are recorded intermittently, but researchers of the WCSG found 30 individuals who are either completely or partially white from 14 monkey troops they had studied in this area. All were recorded within an 18 km stretch in and around home gardens around Sinharaja.

These monkeys are a different colour morph to the endemic Purple-faced Leaf Monkey known as ‘Kalu Wandura’ in Sinhala. Some are completely white while others have mixed coats. The babies of some of the white mothers are black while the reverse too has been observed in the wild. The discovery was made by the researchers of the WCSG while they were studying the Southern Purple-faced Leaf Monkey (Semnopithecus vetulus vetulus).

President of WCSG Madura De Silva explained that this colour morph named the Galanthus colour morph is a snow-white colour variant of the same species. The researchers also say that the monkeys are not albinos as none had red eyes. All had black naked parts of the face and beige to ashy brown crown hair, observed these researchers.

Well known environmentalist Rohan Pethiyagoda, says this is due to a phenomena known as leucism. Leucism is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation in animals that gives colour to their skin and fur. In the case of albinism, it is the reduction of a skin pigment melanin, but in this case a reduction in all types of skin pigments occur. “Clearly the leucistic gene has been spreading across several troops and may even be selected, if males prefer white females.

But these kind of white animals are unusual in the wild probably because a white animal is conspicuous and more likely to be preyed on, so it would be interesting to see how these monkeys do in the long term,” Pethiyagoda said.

There are four different subspecies of this primate in addition to the Southern Purple-faced Leaf Monkey namely Mountain purple-faced leaf langur (Semnopithecus vetulus monticola), Western purple -faced leaf langur (Semnopithecus vetulus nestomr), and Northern purple- faced leaf langur (Semnopithecus vetulus philbricki). They are found on different regions of Sri Lanka and the Southern subspecies distribution is from Kalu Ganga to Ranna as per mammalian expert W.Philips.

From 2007 the primate research team of the WCSG has been studying the distribution, feeding ecology and behaviour of Southern Purple-faced Leaf Langur. Twenty six troops from rain forests and home gardens around Galle and Matara Districts have been observed so far.

Researchers were first tipped off about the ‘ghost like’ white monkeys by the villagers who go into the forest to extract the kitul sap. Trusting the locals, they decided to follow their paths into the forest and after a few weeks came upon the white monkeys that live in the treetops, rarely descending to the ground.

In the National Museum primate specimen collection is a pale-coloured specimen found by W.Philips from Matara District showing that there was colour diversity among the Southern Purple-faced Leaf Langur even in the early 1900s.

“These historical accounts also have inspired us to keep our eyes open in finding white monkeys from southern Sri Lanka through our primate research,” said Madura. Their research is funded by Nations Trust Bank.
Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110918/Plus/plus_08.html

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Sand mining erodes SC order

A supreme Court order in 2005 banned sand mining in the Deduru Oya, but this illegal activity is on the increase. The practice which decreased after the SC ruling, now takes place at over 20 locations. Resultantly sea water now seeps into the Oya and has adversely affected drinking water wells in the area, residents complain.
They say around 200 acres of agricultural land too has had to be abandoned as the water is now not suitable for cultivation. Among the areas affected are Bangadeniya, Sinnamadama, Jayabima, Nochchiwatawana, Weerakumandaluwa, Veherakele, Diganwewa and Rambepitiya.

Sand mining, which has been illicitly going on since 1995, reached its peak in 2004, prompting environmental groups to file action. The North Western Province Environmental Authority, Geological Surveys and Mines Bureau were among those who filed action against the practice. Residents complain that the police have failed to take action to stop this illicit activity.


 Not a care in the world: Illegal sand mining takes place in broad daylight despite an SC order

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110911/News/nws_017.html

Environmentalists worried over road construction in Sri Lanka

Colombo: Environmentalists yesterday expressed worry over a government road construction project which they said will destroy the Sinharaja rainforest, a World Heritage site.

On September 9, around 300 people were deployed to clear the jungle for three kilometers to build the road, they said.

The road is being built to Suriyakanda from Ilumbakanda in Kalawana. The environmentalists said that an alternative road can be used without building a new road.

They pointed out that the new road will damage the flora and fauna, risks the wildlife and unnecessarily exposes the World Heritage rainforest.

The hilly virgin rainforest of Sinharaja, part of the Sri Lanka lowland rainforests ecoregion, was saved from the worst of commercial logging by its inaccessibility, and was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988. The reserve’s name translates as Kingdom of the Lion.

The reserve is only 21 kilometre from east to west, and a maximum of 7 kilometre from north to south, but it is a treasure trove of endemic species , including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

Because of the dense vegetation, wildlife is not as easily seen as at dry-zone national parks such as Yala. There are about 3 elephants and the 15 or so leopards are rarely seen. The commonest larger mammal is the endemic Purple-faced Langur.

An interesting phenomenon is that birds tend to move in mixed feeding flocks, invariably led by the fearless Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and the noisy Orange-billed Babbler. Of Sri Lanka’s 26 endemic birds, the 20 rainforest species all occur here, including the elusive Red-faced Malkoha, Green-billed Coucal and Sri Lanka Blue Magpie. Reptiles include the endemic Green pit viper and Hump-nosed vipers.

Source:http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/s.-asia/philippines/164783-environmentalists-worried-over-road-construction-in-sri-lanka.html

Skink becomes endemic to Sri Lanka once again

The two rupee note that was in circulation in the 1970s had an image of a skink. The Skink Dasia halianus known as Polon Hikanala in Sinhala was an endemic creature at the time its portrait appeared in the currency. However, it lost its prestigious endemic status in 1984 as its presence was reported in India by two scientists there. But thanks to a study done by the Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka it has re-elevated the Sri Lankan species to endemic level last week.


Herpetological Foundation President Mendis Wickramasinghe was the lead author of the scientific paper published in the ‘Journal of Threatened Taxa’ re-establishing the skinks’ endemic status to Sri Lanka. By 2001 a total of 84 species of scincid lizards (skinks) were recognized in South Asia - 62 in India and 27 in Sri Lanka, with seven species common to both. Subsequent changes made this number 86 as mentioned in this scientific paper also authored by Nethu Wickramasinghe and Lalith Kariyawasam. With this scientific update the total number of skinks in Sri Lanka stands at 32 with 25 of them endemic to the country.

This skink was first described in 1887 in Sri Lanka based on specimens from Henaratgoda and Anuradhapura. However, J. Joshua and A. G. Sekar in 1984 reported in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society that this skink was found in a wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. Although there were three species of Dasia described from India by that time, Joshua and Sekar mention that “the skink was strikingly different in colour and pattern from species so far known in India and was identified as ‘D. halianus’, according to the Indian duo.

Mr. Wickramasinghe and the team have examined the specimens deposited in India and compared them with the Sri Lankan D. halianus specimens to distinguish them based on a combination of characters.

The researchers had even referred in their scientific paper to the two rupee notes which had the image of this particular skink. They believe a specimen of this species deposited in the Natural History Museum was the base for the picture in the currency quoting specific characteristics such as shorter regenerated tail of the skink in the note. The currency note which was designed by renowned artist Lucky Senanayake is believed to be based on a drawing which appeared in ‘A Coloured Atlas of Some Vertebrates From Ceylon’ done by naturalist and scientist Dr.P.E.P.Deraniyagala in 1953.

The researchers had to carefully study the specimens preserved in alcohol and other liquids in the natural history museums to sift through the complex scientific evidences in this kind of taxonomic related researches. Their commitment to elevate Sri Lanka to a Biodiversity Hotspot should be commended.
The Herpetological Foundation is thankful to Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity Secretariat, the Nagao Natural Environment Foundation, and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust for assisting the project.

Skink facts

Skinks are the most diverse group of lizards making up the family Scincidae. However it is said that very little research has been done on this misunderstood creature. Many believe that the skinks are poisonous.

Skinks are generally carnivorous and feed on insects and also earthworms, millipedes, etc. They are found in different habitats. However Dasia halianus is an arboreal creature that lives on tree trunks. In most species the tapering tail is easily broken but can be regenerated like those of geckos.

The present conservation status for D. halianus in Sri Lanka is ‘Near Threatened’. Loss of habitats, mainly large trees has been the main threat to this skink that inhabits forests in dry and intermediate zones. Mr. Wickramasinghe says that this species of a strikingly beautiful skink in Sri Lanka can grow up to 8 inches in length and stresses the need to protect it.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110911/News/nws_07.html

New white monkey species found in Sri Lanka's rain forest


The members of Galle Wildlife Conservation Association say that they have identified a new species of white monkeys from Sri Lanka's World Heritage site of Sinharaja rain forest.The researchers have confirmed that the new species was not an albino of the common black monkey found in Sinharaja forest.

Chairman of Galle Wildlife Conservation Association Madura de Silva said that they traced this white monkey species in several places in the southern region of the Sinharaja forest during a survey conducted with the assistance of the Biodiversity Unit of the Ministry of Environment.

The group issued the photos of the white monkeys they took following the information from the treacle tappers in the border villages of Sinharaja.

The research team has observed 26 monkey troops in the rain forests and home gardens around Galle and Matara districts and found 30 individuals with unusual white color in 14 troops.

The group comprising Madura de Silva, Nadika Hapuarachchi and P.A. Rohan Krishantha, reports that the white monkey is a color morph of the southern purple faced leaf langer and systematic DNA testing is needed to determine subspecies and form accurate maps of locations.

Source:http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11A/Sep11_1315723415KA.php

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

US firm clearing virgin forests to grow banana, CEA in the dark

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA), which issues the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on any development project in the country, is unaware that more than 60,000 acres of virgin forest land have been cleared by a US based multi- national company for banana cultivation in SriLanka.

A group of environmental activists including Piyal Parakrama of the Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) disclosed at a press briefing in Colombo on Thursday (18) that vast stretches of virgin forest in various parts of the country would be given to Dole Food Company.

EFL Convener Ravindra Kariyawasam pointed out that the areas that had come under Dole’s banana cultivation project included 15,000 acres from Chunnakkadu Reserve in Kantale, 11,600 acres at Kandakaduwa in Somawathiya National Park, 3,000 acres at Uva-Kudaoya in Lunugamwehera and 500 acres at Wekandawewa in Buttala.

 When The Island contacted Chairman of CEA Charita Herath for comment, he said that he was unaware of those projects and that only a narrow road inside the Sinharaja forest had been built with the CEA’s permission as it had zero impact on the forest.

Herath summoned one of his officials to verify whether the EIA reports had been obtained for the projects of the US company and the officer said the CEA had refused to approve several projects. But, clearing of 3,000 acres of forest land in Kandakaduwa in Somawathiya National park was on. Without any approval from the CEA, those projects were going ahead, she implied.

"In most of these forests vast stretches have been cleared and cultivation has commenced. In Wekandawewa, an ancient tank has been encroached on thus cutting off its water to the villagers," Kariyawasam said claiming that Galle, Puttalam, Dambulla and Hingurakgoda were likely to lose forest land to Dole banana project in future.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation report, Sri Lanka has been ranked the 4th worst country in the world in terms of deforestation for the period 2000-05.

The CEA Chairman also said that Sections 5 and 6 of the Amended Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance No. 22 of 2009, had laid down guidelines to prevent harm to the environment, therefore the environmental pressure groups were seeking legal advice on it.

Source:http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=33014

Nil Manel under threat of extinction

Sri Lanka’s national flower (Nil Manel) is under threat of extinction due to hybridizing with a foreign species.

This was reveled by Peradeniya University Botany Department Senior Lecturer Prof. Deepthi Yakandawala.

She said that the native Nil Manel flower is small and bluer than the larger purple imposter which may be either Nymphaea capensis.

Water-lilies (Nymphaea sp.) have been popular as an ornamental aquatic plant in Sri Lanka from ancient times as they produce striking flowers throughout the year.

Prof. Yakandawala said that the hybridization has been observed in several places in Sri Lanka’s natural environment.

She also added that the flower shown as Sri Lanka’s national flower in stamps and other publications is a foreign imposter.

Hybridization of invasive aliens with native flora is currently identified as a major threat where this could lead to the extinction of the native flora, Prof. Yakandawala said.

Source:http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=33032

Monday, August 15, 2011

The fall of the Tusker

Extracts from a talk on ‘The Future of the Tuskers in Sri Lanka’ by Srilal Miththapala at the Sustainable BioDiversity and Economic Development Conference held last month

In Sri Lanka, the elephant has had a very close association with the people, culture and religion of the country. It is estimated that the beginning of the 19th century, there were some 10,000 wild elephants in Sri Lanka (Mackay, G. M. 1973), but in subsequent years, indiscriminate capture and hunting led to the destruction of thousands of elephants. The remaining populations are mostly smaller, isolated and fragmented, because their ancient migratory routes and habitats have been disrupted by expanding human encroachment.

This fragmentation of habitat has increasingly brought wild elephants in conflict with man. Today, the human elephant conflict (HEC) has transcended from a basic wildlife management problem to a major environmental and rural socio economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) has recorded that 1369 elephants have been killed in the last 10 years, while during the same period more than 500 humans have also lost their lives. The DWLC estimates that Sri Lanka has around 4,000 to 5,000 elephants in the wild, and that on the average HEC results in 150 elephant deaths per year, and 50-70 human lives per year.( DWLC Web Site)

Due to the ranging behaviour of elephants, it is most often solitary bull elephants that face most of the conflict in their search for food, water and receptive females for mating. Of the 1369 elephants killed over the past 10 years, the DWLC estimates that 68% were healthy adult bulls.
Hence this is of great concern for sustaining a viable wild elephant population. Given the fact that only male Asian elephants have tusks, and the fact that the Sri Lankan species has one of the lowest incidences of tuskers of around 7.3% of the male population (Hendawitharana W, Santiapillai C, et.al 1994), there are definitely enough reasons and more, to be concerned about the future of the tuskers among the Sri Lankan wild elephant population.
A blessing and curse
All species of elephants have tusks. In the case of the African species, both male and female have tusks, while in the Asian species only males have tusks. Among Sri Lankan elephants, the incidence of tusks in males is one of the lowest of the Asian sub species, with only around 7% males having tusks.
The tusks are really the two front upper incisor teeth of the elephants. The tusks being a biological product, are composed of ivory which in turn is mainly made up from calcium and phosphate and other minerals. (Shoshani , J. 1992) Only about 2/3rds ofthe tusk is exposed, while the balance 1/3 lies embedded in the skull.
Asian elephants sometimes sprout small tusk like protrusions, which are called ‘Tushes’. Although they are also incisors (the 2nd set), they are not really tusks. They do not have a pulp cavity and grow only up to about 6 inches and are seen in both males and females.

Informal nomenclature
There is an informal way of referring to different elephants in Sri Lankan village culture based on the presence or absence of tusks as follows.
  • Etha - Tusker (male)
  • Aliya - Male without tusks
  • Pussa - Male without tushes
  • Ethinna - Female with Tushes
  • Alidena (Kenera) – Female without tushes
    ( de Silva, M & de Silva, P 2007)
Number of tuskers in captivity
With the banning of the capturing of elephants from the wild in 1960s, the captive population of elephants has been dwindling over the years. From about 300 elephants in captivity in the early 1980s, this number has drastically reduced to around 120 elephants today. Given the demand for captive elephants and tuskers in particular, for religious ceremonies in temples, there is a high demand and value placed on the remaining captive tuskers.

Distribution of tuskers in Sri Lanka
It has been shown that the tusker population in Sri Lanka is relatively small. However, within this small population, there is sufficient reason to believe that there appears to be a high incidence of tuskers in certain areas of the island. These include the North Western and North Central provinces as well as the South East area (many photographers have been able to capture in one frame, upto three or four tuskers in the Kalawewa area regularly, while Yala being the most popular national wild life park has recorded many iconic tuskers over the years. Although living mostly within the protected area of the Yala National Park, several of these magnificent tuskers have met an untimely death when ranging outside the park.

The demise of tuskers
Records indicate that in ancient times, Sri Lankan male elephants did have a greater abundance of tusks. History has it that Sri Lanka elephants could be well trained to be used in war and that they were exported in large numbers to the Middle East (Groning,K&Saller, M 1999). Most of these war elephants were tuskers.
Hence, from a seemingly healthy and abundant wild tusker population in the past century, there has been a drastic reduction of tuskers in the wild in Sri Lanka. In the mid- 1800s, to make way for the expanding plantation sector, there was an open warrant given with a bounty, for hunters to kill elephants. This became a sport, and most of the hunters searched out the bigger males carrying tusks, which was a bigger challenge and prize. Hence thousands of elephants were destroyed during this period, and it could be surmised that a large proportion of these animals killed were tuskers.
To further compound the problem, rapid development resulted in unplanned human settlements being set up in traditional elephant lands, fragmenting their movements and restricting their migratory patterns. This would have curtailed the movement of the few remaining tuskers, thus effectively isolating the gene pool, reducing cross fertilization among herds, and in turn reducing the proliferation of the tuskers in the wild.
Evolution also may have been taking its course, and selectively reducing the number of tuskers because they were the most robust of the males who would take the greater risks in searching for food, newer habitats and receptive females, thus having greater altercations with humans and having a greater mortality rate.

Future of tuskers
There is very little hope that a healthy and robust tusker population in the wild in Sri Lanka will grow, or for that matter even be stable. The habitat is far too fragmented to sustain a healthy breeding population of tuskers in the wild. However, if some concerted efforts are made to firstly identify if certain areas do actually have a higher incidence of tuskers, and if so, protect and carefully manage these populations, perhaps we can at least try to sustain some tuskers in select areas.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110814/Plus/plus_06.html

Wild orchid, Nervilia Plicata blooms in Lanka too

In the midst of a study, researcher Ajantha Palihawadana was puzzled by a strange looking plant in a home garden in Koswatte. It had only one leaf. Recognizing it as a ground orchid, though different from others he had seen, he placed it in a pot in his garden waiting for it to bloom.

A few months later, the leaf died. But knowing the strange behaviour of some orchids, Ajantha marked the pot and kept it aside. A few months later, he was thrilled to see a flowering shoot emerge from the soil. And when, the flowers bloomed, the plant’s true beauty was seen. Scientifically categorized as Nervilia Plicata –it was the first confirmed record of this species from Sri Lanka.
Nervilia Plicata : An orchid recorded from tropical Asia
 

This large leaf dies after a few months
 
Nervilia Plicata is an orchid recorded from tropical Asia and growing in India. This finding confirmed its presence in Sri Lanka too updating the National Orchid checklist to 189.
Nervilia Plicata has some special characteristics. The width of its hairy heart shaped single leaf can be from 7.7cm to 10.8cm. The leaf can look dark green or dark purple depending on the angle of exposure to light.
This large leaf dies after a few months, but its rhizome (the horizontal stem of the plant) survives underground. Then during March, April and May – the flowers appear. Nervilia Plicata produces two flowers usually a foot above the ground, a mix of purple and green and about 6 centimetres in diameter. Unlike most orchids, this flower also has a fragrance but lasts only four to five days.
Ajantha said there had been several specimens of Nervilia orchids deposited in the National Herbarium previously, but they were not properly identified. However, for the first time, now a complete specimen has been deposited in the herbarium, so that other scientists too can observe the species.

The study of wild orchids is time-consuming but also rewarding, says Dr. Suranjan Fernando, another scientist involved in orchid research. Sri Lanka has epiphytic orchids that usually grow on trees, terrestrial orchids, climbing orchids and also saprophytic orchids. Saprophytic orchids, like Nervilia that live on dead organic matter such as leaf litters are also interesting as they do not have any leaves and only a flower. They depend on fungi for their entire supply of nourishment. Most orchid flowers also had different adaptations to attract different kind of pollinators, Dr. Fernando said.

Such interlinks also make the wild orchids threatened. For, if a specialized pollinator insect has been removed from the ecosystem by extensive use of pesticide etc, the orchids lose means of pollination. But the main threat remains habitat loss, says Dr. Fernando pointing out that most of the orchid rich habitats such as Uva Savannah, the Peak Wilderness, Morningside of Sinharaja are being progressively degraded.
IUCN’s National Red List of Threatened Flora & Fauna of Sri Lanka published in 2007 also paints a gloomy picture for orchids as it records 4 extinct species, 22 critically endangered and 47 endangered plants out of the reviewed species.

Director of Sri Lanka Botanical Gardens Department Dr.Siril Wijesundara said that Sri Lanka has lost about 83% of her wildlife habitat during the last two centuries and if the remaining habitats are not protected, it will have a serious impact on our beautiful orchids. These highly specialized and sensitive plants are extremely vulnerable to ecosystem changes.
Some of our orchid species including the beautiful, endemic Vanda thwaitesii have not been seen in Sri Lanka for more than a century, he said.

Nervilia Plicata habitats are also threatened, adds Ajantha Palihawadana adding that studies done by True Nature Conservation Society led by himself found the plant also in Ravana Ella and Balangoda. According to the records, this orchid is restricted to the savannah ecosystems in the Intermediate Climatic Zone where trees are scattered in grasslands.

The wet patches located in this area are the home of this orchid, but unfortunately this is also one of the highly threatened habitats in Sri Lanka.

Dr.Wijesundara points out that the collection of rare orchids from the wild by hobbyists is on the increase and needs immediate control. Many also remove wild orchids to their home gardens, but these orchids need special habitats and conditions, and will die or will not flower the way they do in the wild so are best left untouched.
Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110814/Plus/plus_07.html

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Rock blasts threaten rare fish with extinction

Rock blasting at the centre of the Mahaweli Ganga at Getambe by a private institution in violation of a ban imposed by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) is posing a threat to a rare fish species known as Gadaya (Labeo fisheri), said Zoological researcher Pradeep Samarawickrama.

Rock blasting
He said the blasting is being carried out by this institution for a proposed mini hydro power plant. The CEA chairman has ordered the party concerned to halt the blasting , but the work was suspended for 10 minutes only, on Monday, he said.
“Gadaya has been reported in Sri Lanka 20 years ago. But this variety cannot be found in the area today. Therefore this species is entered in the Red Data book as a sterilizing fish,” he said.
“After 20 years three dead fish of this variety had been found floating in the Mahaweli Ganga,” he said.
Rapidly flowing deep water is the natural habitation of this fish species. This area has been identified as a landslide prone area. Therefore construction has been banned in these areas. An entire family had been buried due to a previous landslide.
Residents also protest against this exercise which has caused them insecurity.
Nevertheless this company is not paying heed to these protests and are continuing with their construction programmes, he said.
Central Environment Authority Chairman Dr Charitha Herath said that, permission which has been granted to continue the constructions has been stopped. It had not been extended. Environmental Lawyer Jagath Gunawardana said, according to the National Environmental Act no project should be started without environmental clearance.
In this instance the clearance that was given in 2007 expired last year. It is praiseworthy that Chairman of the Central Environment Authority has http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8653294068511249161taken action to prevent environmental damage.
Responding to the Daily News, a spokesman of the constructing company said the blasting has been stopped on the orders of the Central Environment Authority. The company is awaiting the advice of the CEA to commence the construction programmes again.

Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority Director Environment A M K B Attanayake said that, the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority is the approved agent of this project. Therefore, constructors should work under the approval of the Central Environment Authority. First the CEA had allowed to commence this project and on the second occasion not extended the permission to continue the project up to now. Nor have they stopped or suspended the project.He further said that, the Mahaweli Authority is involved in investigating about the threat posed to “Gadaya”. However their team was unable to uncover such a species.
“We can’t say whether or not there is Gadaya. Action should be taken either to continue or stop the project after conducting a systematic study.

Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/08/05/news11.asp

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Hikkaduwa sea –a special tourist protected area

Deputy Minister of Economic Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said steps have been taken to name the sea area in Hikkaduwa, with popular coral reef, a special protected area.
The Minister said the reef would be divided into two areas and one area will be reserved for diving while the other area will be made available for boat riders to view the coral reef.

He said that the government will take steps to register all the boats that take the tourists to view the corals.
The recently re-opened Hikkaduwa Marine National Park, one of the two marine national parks in Sri Lanka, fringes a coral reef of high degree of biodiversity.

The Minister said the park, remodeled to provide tourists a chance to have a well-organized and safe recreational experience at affordable prices, offers a diverse collection of sea creatures as well as beautiful reefs of various corals. (niz)

Source:http://www.news.lk/home/18554-hikkaduwa-sea-a-special-tourist-protected-area

Monday, July 25, 2011

Measures to conserve Hikkaduwa coral reef of Sri Lanka

Colombo: Deputy Minister of Economic Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said the Sri Lankan government had taken measures to name the sea area in Hikkaduwa, with popular coral reef, a special protected area.
The Minister further said the reef would be divided into two areas and one area is to be reserved for diving while the other will be made available for boat riders to view the reef.
The government will take steps to register all the boats that take the tourists to view the corals, the Minister said.
The recently re-opened Hikkaduwa Marine National Park, one of the two marine national parks in Sri Lanka, fringes a coral reef of high degree of biodiversity.
The government says the park, remodeled to provide tourists a chance to have a well-organized and safe recreational experience at affordable prices, offers a diverse collection of sea creatures as well as beautiful reefs of various corals.

Source:http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11A/Jul25_1311571422CH.php

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Corals under bleach attack

Marine scientists stress the need to monitor our reefs in the East Coast
The International Day of Biological Diversity falls next Saturday, May 22. With the UN’s latest Global Biodiversity Outlook report highlighting corals as the species most at risk, marine specialists are warning that corals in Sri Lanka face a new threat – Malaka Rodrigo reports
Have you taken a shower in the middle of the day these past few months and winced at the heat of the water gushing through in the first few minutes? The intense heat is not just affecting us, it is affecting corals – the delicate organisms in the sea that are exposed to the sun all day long.
“We have seen early signs of coral bleaching in the East Coast recently,” says Prasanna Weerakkodi, a marine environmentalist and regular diver who showed us a series of photos taken during a dive two weeks ago near Coral Island and Pigeon Island. The corals are pale in colour or have turned completely white. Some corals are deep purple and that too is an early sign of bleaching, he says, warning that about 50% - 60% of the corals in Pigeon Island and nearby Coral Island are partially bleached while about 5% are completely dead.
Bleached corals on Coral Island.(Pix by Sajith Subhashana)
Coral reefs are known as rainforests of the ocean considering their rich biodiversity and are the breeding grounds of many fish. Corals in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Galle, Unawatuna and Hikkaduwa are reportedly being affected according to other divers.
Coral bleaching occurs when coral polyps, the organisms that build corals, shed the algae (zooxanthellae) that gives them their colour. These tiny algae live in harmony with the corals and provide food for the host through the process of photosynthesis. Without this algae, the coral looks pale white and the coral polyps can be exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Without food, oxygen or cover from dangerous rays, the coral polyps in the reef will die a few weeks after they start getting paler. Our corals show signs of entering into the first stage of such a bleaching explains Mr. Weerakkodi.
Coral scientists believe warming waters are the most likely cause of these bleaching events. The Indian Ocean experienced its worst coral bleaching in 1998 due to a warm oceanic current. The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) of some parts of the Indian Ocean had gone up due to the La Nina climatic phenomenon at that time and resulted in warm oceanic currents killing pristine coral reefs in many parts of Sri Lanka, including the Hikkaduwa coral reef that is still to recover. However, the corals in the East Coast escaped the 1998 coral bleaching.
According to recent Sea Surface Temperature data, it is now around 32 C where the normal average temperature should be around 28 C. This increase could have triggered the bleaching. A regional warning of a possible coral bleaching has been issued. Sri Lankan marine biologists are also in touch with their Maldivian colleagues.
If the sea’s temperature goes down, or cool upswells come to the rescue, healthy corals also have the ability to recover. “It is too early to say whether this will develop into a full-scale coral bleaching event as happened in 1998. But it is important to monitor the phenomenon,” Mr. Weerakkodi pointed out.
Marine biologist for the National Aquatic Resources Research & Development Agency (NARA) Arjan Rajasuriya, recently reported some dying corals in reefs near Galle. After the severe bleaching of 1998, corals in many areas in Sri Lanka showed temporary bleaching during the months of April/May/June when temperatures are high. Some corals die, but others recover after the conditions return to normalcy. However, if the warm conditions prevail for long, it could be deadly. Arjan recalls the coral bleaching in 1998 had occurred during April/May and within a few weeks it sealed the fate of many coral reefs like those in Hikkaduwa.
Nishan Perera, another marine specialist, who was diving at Trincomalee a few weeks ago, verified the bleaching of corals and reported severe bleaching in the Dutch Bay area. This year the early part of the monsoon was a bit slack which might have contributed to this situation, he feels. “If conditions become normal soon it should not be a problem, but otherwise there can be some coral mortality,” he says.
Can anything be done? “Keeping the corals healthy is the only way to fight this global phenomenon,” says the NARA officer. Corals that are not healthy lose the ability to adapt to changes in their environment. Frequent fishing, pollution from land-based sources, dynamiting reefs, and sedimentation are other threats to the reef ecosystem which reduce their ability to withstand a catastrophe like bleaching.
Visible bleaching at Pigeon Island
Ocean Acidification is the latest threat added to this list. Acidification is a phenomenon linked to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean reacts with the water to form carbonic acid. Many oceanic ecosystems such as coral reefs are adapted to a narrow range of pH levels and increases in these levels can be catastrophic.
Marine experts also say it is important to pay more attention to the corals in the East coast. “The West coast is experiencing the monsoon these days which will cool the seas a little, while regular cloud cover will also reduce the heat,” Arjan says. But the East coast is not so fortunate and is also experiencing new threats. Pollution and over-fishing were not problems earlier as the Eastern and Northern seas were restricted due to security reasons, but this is changing after the war and over-visitation is already causing problems to fragile marine national parks like Pigeon Island.
Save the wrecks
On May 2, the Sunday Times reported a racket involving the removal of scrap from ship wrecks off the Eastern seas. NARA’s Arjan Rajasuriya points out the wrecks are now jungles of coral and have become a spawning ground for fish.
Destroying them will destroy budding corals as well as harm the fisheries industry. “This is like killing the hen that lays the golden eggs,” said Arjan highlighting the value of these wrecks. They could even be a tourist attraction, so keep them intact, appeals the marine biologist.

Corals heading towards rapid extinction
The Global Biodiversity Outlook report backed by IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) data shows coral species are heading most rapidly towards extinction, while Amphibians are on average the group most threatened.
According to the Red List Index shown in the graph, a value of 1.0 indicates that all species in a group would be considered as being of Least Concern (not expected to become extinct in the near future) and a value of 0 would indicate that all species in a group have become extinct.

Source:http://sundaytimes.lk/100516/Plus/plus_12.html

DWC needs separate Marine Unit to manage Marine National Parks

Pigeon Island had also faced destruction in the past. In early 1980, the reef was attacked by coral-eating star fish to the point of extinction, reducing the live coral cover considerably. Subsequently, the reef recovered. Coral scientists say that Pigeon Island corals, like any ecosystem, has the ability to recover, but points out the need for management measures to assist the recovery, as it is a slow and sensitive process.

Pigeon Island is one of the Marine National Parks under the purview of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), which had recently started issuing tickets for visitors to the island. Though they can do very little to prevent bleaching, they can definitely help in the recovery of Pigeon Island’s coral Reef. However, DWC activities are sadly restricted to issuing and supervision of tickets on the island, some foot-patrols on the beach, and a few boat trips. A DWC officer confirms that wildlife officers are unaware of the seriousness of the threat faced by underwater corals.

But they are not to be totally blamed. All DWC officers are trained to manage land-based national parks. But, if the two ecosystems are compared, destruction of the corals is similar to the destruction of half of Sinharaja forest, as coral reefs refuge a multitude of marine biodiversity- also known as the Rainforest of the ocean. But sadly this destruction is evident only to those who dive. Hence, DWC officers who do not dive or snorkel cannot monitor the underwater destruction.

At a recent biodiversity forum, it was queried as to how many DWC officers could actually swim. Diver-conservationist Dr Malik Fernando said at a Sustainable Biodiversity & Economic Development forum that they had trained a group of Hikkaduwa Wildlife Officers to dive, to monitor the reef, but all of them were transferred to another terrestrial National Park, wasting their effort. So, it is the time to establish a separate Marine Biodiversity Management Unit by the DWC, said Dr. Fernando. This unit should be given resources and should comprise of divers capable of monitoring issues related to marine ecosystems.

As a perfect example of underwater patrols, Marine Biologist Nishan Perera who dived off Pigeon Island last year, discovered illegal fishing activities going undetected even within the Marine National Park, where he came across a fish trap set up on top of the corals. Fishermen would have set it up in the morning or at night, when the DWC officers are not present at the beach. While humans can do very little to prevent coral bleaching, the DWC can definitely help in the recovery of the reef. Arresting illicit fishing is something that needs to be enforced immediately.

Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara of the University of Ruhuna, also revealed bad impacts of fishing. After corals die, many different algae such as coral polyps grow on them, and are found in many coral colonies, disrupting the settling of new coral colonies. But there are fish such as sea urchins, which feed on these algae such as coral polyps, contributing to the speedy recovery of the reef. But sea urchins are caught in quantities by fish collectors retarding the process of a faster recovery of the reef. Therefore it is important that illicit fishing be stopped.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110724/News/nws_77.html

Pigeon Island a coral tomb

DWC sans training in diving, out of its depth to protect, manage Marine National Parks
By Malaka Rodrigo
Last year, The Sunday Times of May 16 reported that, sections of Pigeon Island corals were under bleach attack, and ‘dying’ a natural death. This exclusive article titled ‘Corals under Bleach Attack’ highlighted the need to monitor this pristine reef.
Recently, those who dived off Pigeon Island, confirm the worst has happened, with large areas of corals destroyed. But, are the guardians alert to monitor and protect this valuable reef?

Pigeon Island reef: Before bleaching – Pic by Nishan Perera






Pigeon Island reef: Today – Pic by Dharshana Jayawardena

Dharshana Jayawardena, who dived off the reef a few weeks back, says that many parts off Pigeon Island are like large coral tombs. The corals and marine life, once vibrant and beautiful, when Dharshana dived off the same area last year, were all gone, with only the discolored debris remaining.
Coral bleaching is one of the worst destructive natural phenomena faced by corals worldwide.
It occurs when coral polyps- the organisms that build corals, shed the algae zooxanthellae that give them their colour. These tiny algae, which live in harmony with the corals, also provide food for the host through the process of photosynthesis. Without this algae, the coral looks pale white and the coral polyps can be exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
Without food, oxygen or cover from dangerous rays, the coral polyps in the reef will die a few weeks after they start getting paler. When the sea surface temperature rises, corals start releasing this algae, triggering the bleaching.
The reasons for the bleaching last year was believed to have been the unusually high Sea Surface Temperature (SST) prevalent around the eastern parts of Sri Lanka, and the Sunday Times warned then that Pigeon Island corals too showed signs of entering into the first stage of such a bleaching, as warned by marine naturalist Prasanna Weerakkodi.
Researcher- National Aquatic & Research Agency (NARA), Arjan Rajasuriya, who studied corals, pointed out that the temperature at the Bay of Bengal, at that period of the year, had arisen to 34 degrees Celsius, although normal SST varies between 28 - 30 degrees Celsius. But last year, severe bleaching was recorded mainly in the Trincomalee area and the corals in the other parts of Sri Lanka suffered minor bleaching. Last year when Arjan dived Pigeon Island at end of May, he found extensive bleaching of the reef where more than 90% of the Corals were bleached. This bleaching was also observed in Dutch Bay according to the NARA Coral Expert. But surprisingly the bleaching restricted only to the Trinco area. Corals in Batticaloa suffered only minor bleaching as per Mr.Rajasuriya. He said that, this kind of sporadic bleaching was also reported in countries such as Maldives, Kenya, Mauritius too.
Coral bleaching has already become a serious problem in Sri Lanka and worldwide, pushing many of the coral species to the brink of extinction. It is believed that Global Warming makes it worse. The Indian Ocean experienced its worst coral bleaching in 1998, due to a warm oceanic current. The SST of some areas of the Indian Ocean had gone up due to the La Nina climatic phenomenon at that time, resulting in warm oceanic currents killing pristine coral reefs in many parts of Sri Lanka, including the Hikkaduwa coral reef that is still to recover.

However, the corals off the East coast escaped the 1998 coral bleaching, though corals in nearby Batticaloa reef- some as deep as 42m, were bleached according to Mr. Rajasuriya. He believes the oceanic upwelling in Trincomalee, where the surfacing of cooler water from the deep, had lowered the SST, negating the effect of the warm 1998 El Nina current, saving Pigeon Island in 1998. Arjan says that, after 1998, sporadic bleaching was recorded on several reefs, but they were not widespread as the present case in Pigeon Island.
Director General, Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), Dr. Chandrawansa Pathiraja said he too had received information about damage to corals and the department was monitoring the situation. He said the department would obtain assistance from the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).
Ticketing causes inconvenience claim tour operators
The DWC started issuing entrance tickets at two of Sri Lanka’s Marine National Parks, Pigeon Island and Hikkaduwa. Local adults were charged Rs 40 per head, while a child was charged Rs 20, with a service charge of Rs 300 for a boat. Foreigners are charged US$ 10 per head, while US$ 8 per head was charged for a group. Boat fee is Rs 125 per visit.
Though they do not complain about the fee, tour operators and hotel owners say the ticketing process inconveniences tourists. All visitors have to come to the ticketing office located at Nilaweli for their tickets. However, unlike a terrestrial national park, where there is only one or two entry points, Pigeon Island can be approached from different locations. There are tourist hotels dotted around Nilaweli. For example, those who leave Nilaweli from nearby Uppuweli beach, will take an additional 20 min to land at Nilaweli for their tickets. Tourists (even ladies and children) need to help the boatman pull the boat ashore. When pulling the boat ashore, it could land on a passenger’s foot, if the tourist is on the wrong side of the boat, causing serious injury. Then the boatman has to go to the ticket counter, leaving the boat unattended, to fill a form and pay the money, where, more often than not, there is a queue, they complain.
Dive instructor Felician Fernando suggests that the DWC allows tour operators to buy tickets in advance, so that they could go directly to the island. He points out that it is the practice at the Cultural Triangle, where travel agents buy such round-trip tickets, and give same to the tour guide, to avoid delays.
Owner of Nilaweli Beach Hotel, who is also a diver, Travice Ondaatjie too says it is a logistical nightmare for everyone to come to the beach to buy their tickets, and requests that hotels be permitted to sell them.
Felician also points out the need for buoys to be positioned above coral reefs, when their clients dive. At the moment, boats have to drop anchor, sometimes causing coral damage when they fall on it.
Dr. Pathiraja commenting on the issue said an online ticketing system would be implemented within the next few months.
Marine scientists offer help – why not take it..?
The DWC is not alone, if it is really keen to protect these corals. The Sri Lanka Sub Aqua Club (SLSAC), which represents Sri Lanka’s diving community, is also willing to offer its assistance. Secretary- SLSAC, Naren Gunasekera said they are willing to offer their support to the DWC to monitor the reefs.
He stresses that scuba diving and snorkeling are important parts of the tourism portfolio that Sri Lanka has to offer. But most of these underwater sites are extremely delicate and need continuous monitoring and science driven management. It will also ensure that they remain in a state that can provide tourists a good experience (for example, to ensure that the bleached Pigeon Island reef is restored to ‘health’ within the next decade).
Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of commitment from the DWC to engage these divers and other interested parties willing to give of their time to help educate the DWC on marine matters. Nishan Perera recalls, as part of a project in 2007, a complete ‘Marine Protect & Manage Area’ toolkit was compiled and handed over to the DWC. Alas, it has gone unheard. However, these marine scientists are still willing to offer their assistance to conduct free surveys and other services to manage underwater Ecosystems.
Marine scientists also complain that the DWC is a barrier to scientific research in these areas on many instances.
However, Dr.Pathiraja said the department was willing to to work with the scientists and diver community.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110724/News/nws_78.html