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
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
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.
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
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)
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.
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
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.
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
 Rock blasting |
“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
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
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.
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.
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  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 |
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