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
Saturday, September 24, 2011
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
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
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
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
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.
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
“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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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