| 2011 ends and 2012 begins with the destruction of yet another mangrove forest. | |||
The past year, 2011, was declared International Year of Forests by the United Nations. The message was sent out to all countries. Sadly, this message has not been taken seriously in Sri Lanka. Last year was not a good year for forests here, and the year ended with the news that yet another forest is being destroyed – one of the few remaining mangrove covers in Puttalam.
A five-acre plot of mangrove along the west coast, in Kurukapane, Arachchikattuwa, in Puttalam district, is being cut down to make way for an 80-room hotel. The hotel will be built by a Colombo-based hotel group. According to Sajeewa Chamikara, of the Environmental Conservation Trust (ECT), much of the mangrove covering has been cleared and filled. No Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was obtained for the project, which makes the cutting of the mangrove covering illegal, even if the land is privately owned. Under the law, any construction project covering one hectare and above requires an EIA evaluation. The Kurukapane mangrove forest is state-protected land, and comes under the purview of the Forest Department. This stretch of forest, previously under the Divisional Secretariat control, was officially made the property of the Forest Department in a special circular sent out by the Ministry of Environment in 2001.
The Divisional Secretary for the area had written to the Forest Department, asking it to intervene and stop the destruction of the Kurukapane mangrove forest. But no investigation has been conducted by the Forest Department. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Puttalam district has the country’s largest mangrove cover, at 3,210 hectares, but these areas are under heavy pressure from development activities. The boom of shrimp farms in Puttalam and Kalpitiya in the ’90s resulted in widespread destruction of mangroves. Most of the shrimp farms have been abandoned. Residents, mostly fishermen, are doing their bit to save these mangroves. Villagers who did not want their names mentioned said the hotel company project has the “backing” of local politicians. 2011 was one of the worst years for the environment The past year – 2011 – will go on record as one of the worst years for the country’s environment, with increased destructive activity. The Dole banana farm, which encroached on the Somawathiya National Park, adjoining the Sinharaja, Bogahapattiya-Soragune golf course, was only one of the many environmentally destructive activities that were highlighted in 2011. Environmental lawyer Jagath Gunawardane said the number of environmentally destructive activities, the amount of damage done by these projects, and the unseen political “backing” that usually accompanies environmental destruction, all increased in 2011. Mangrove Cover in Coastal Districts District Hectares Published on SundayTimes on 01.01.2012 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120101/News/nws_18.html |
Sound of axe rings death knell for Lanka’s forests
January 3, 2012
Top scientists brainstorm on ways to propel Lanka into the future
January 1, 2012More than 50 expatriate Sri Lankan scientists were in Sri Lanka last week to attend a forum to discuss ways to boost the country’s economic and social development. The arching theme of the event was “Empowering Sri Lanka through Networking and Sharing Scientific Knowledge.”
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| National Science Foundation chairperson Professor Sirimali Fernando addressing the forum |
The three-day event, held at the Galadari Hotel, Colombo, between December 13 and 15, brought together 50 overseas-based Sri Lankan scientists and academics and 170 Sri Lanka-based scientists, industrialists, and science educators. The forum was organised by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the United Nations Educational Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The participants discussed nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, advanced design and manufacture, natural resources and food and water security, among other topics. The idea of the global forum of Sri Lankan scientists was first mooted by Professor Tissa Vitarana, when he was Minister of Science and Technology. Prof. Vitarana, who is now senior Minister of Scientific Affairs, said science and research should have high priority on the national development agenda, and that the technology gap was a reflection of the poverty gap in poor and developing countries.
Pavithra Wanniarachchie, Minister of Technology and Research, said the government had adopted a national science and technology strategy to underpin the country’s economic development. National Science Foundation chairperson Professor Sirimali Fernando said China was overtaking the conventional powerhouses in science, a trend that was also being seen in many Asian countries, such as South Korea, Singapore, India and Malaysia. She said Sri Lanka should not fall behind in this Asian rising, and that the country should “harness all resources and take up the challenge.”
Prithi Perera, Secretary-General of the National Commission of UNESCO, said forums like the present one would help mobilise the international community to assist in building up Sri Lanka.
Published on SundayTimes on 18.12.2011 http://sundaytimes.lk/111218/News/nws_07.html
CEA urges public to discard E-waste responsibly
January 1, 2012| Toxic chemicals within electronic/electric items leak once discarded, could cause serious health hazards | ||
| This is the festive season when ‘stock clearance’ and ‘seasonal sales’ entice us to buy new electrical and electronic items, to replace the old or outmoded ones. But how should we dump the old items? As usage of electronic items grows, disposal of these also become a growing problem worldwide, and neither can Sri Lanka, escape from this new form of garbage known as Electronic Waste (E-waste), as stressed at the National Forum on E-waste Management held last Monday (19) at the BMICH. The Central Environment Authority (CEA) that operates the National E-waste Management Programme, organised this forum to find a way forward to address this growing problem of E-waste disposal in Sri Lanka, and the review of its progress.
With the advent of technology, household electrical and electronic items started flooding in, in the 1980s. Electronic items such as Television, Radios, Refrigerators, Computers and even Mobile phones contain toxic pollutants such as lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, polyvinyl chlorides (PVC) and other metallic and chemical compounds. While it is safer to operate them when they are new, these toxic chemicals can leak out over time, getting released into the atmosphere, to become serious environmental and health hazards. Long-term exposure to these substances can cause damage to the nervous system, kidneys and bones, as well as to the reproductive and endocrine systems. This has become a serious issue in industrialised countries which embraced these technologies, decades before they reached our country. Dr. Sunil Herath of Giffith University, Australia, advisor to the UN on E-waste management in the Asia Region, making the guest lecture at this forum, said that safe management of E-waste is becoming a major problem in many countries. He revealed that the world generates around an estimated 20-50 million tons of E-waste annually, which ends up in Asian Countries. Many regional countries impose regulations on E-waste. But, as a strategy to manage E-waste, the CEA initiated a programme facilitating the collection mechanism, prior to imposing regulations on extended producer responsibility. The National E-waste management programme of Sri Lanka was initiated last year in collaboration with 14 private sector partner companies including manufacturers, importers and brand owners of the e-waste. These companies set up collecting mechanisms, where sellers of electronic items finance the treatment of their own-branded e-waste, discarded by their customers. For example, mobile phone collection centers are set up to collect the discarded phones. The CEA has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which brand owners or manufacturers of electronic products will set up these collecting centres in Sri Lanka, and will review the progress of this programme. Addressing the gathering, CEA chairman Charitha Herath said, “I believe that these companies have already proven their environmental accountability by implementing successful programmes in E-waste management”. The CEA chairman also pointed out that, with the drastic growth of E-waste, related health issues are also on the rise, and stressed the need to raise awareness of the issue. Some parents don’t even hesitate to give their discarded mobile phones for their children to play with. But, as the lifespan of these phones expire, and the protective layers come off, these gadgets become more vulnerable – so societal awareness too helps prevent the spread of E-waste damage, he said. Known as clean mechanism to reduce power consumption, CFL bulbs (Compact fluorescent light) too are now increasing in use. But little known is that these bulbs too need to be discarded with care, as they contain a little Mercury within. They are perfectly safe when the bulb is intact. But when broken, this metal can leak, causing pollution. Hence, these should not be discarded by just throwing them into the garbage bin, which will end up in a landfill site. Though each bulb contains only small amounts of Mercury, at the landfill dumping site, these will accumulate to cause major pollution. At the forum, ‘Asia Recycles’, a subsidiary of Orange electric also made a presentation on their initiative to recycle CFL bulbs, by setting up South Asia’s first CFL bulb recycle plant. This plant set up recently in Homagama, has the capacity to recycle 30,000,000 bulbs annually, which is nearly three times greater than the annual CFL usage in Sri Lanka. The CEA urges the public to discard their E-waste in a responsible manner, and not become polluters. Best way to discard these electronic and electrical items is by handing them over to a collection centre. The CEA requests public to dial the government information hotline 1919, if they wish to know where the closest E-waste collection units is, to their residence or establishment. Published on 25.12.2011 on SundayTimes http://sundaytimes.lk/111225/News/nws_10.html |
Picture perfect misty Plains
January 1, 2012Horton Plains is one of the country’s most spectacular natural landscapes. Enormous grasslands edging the unique cloud forest, the surrounding mountain ranges and wildlife unique to the area make it a dream location for every photographer. With the aim of improving amateur skills on covering the beauty of the misty plains, a special field Photographic Workshop was recently organized by the National Photographic Art Society of Sri Lanka (NPASSL) at Horton Plains.
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| Misty Hortan Plains : Pix courtesy NPASSL |
“Horton Plains is like a woman. At one time the sun shines smiling and the next minute, the mist changes the mood completely. Taking photographs in Horton Plains sets its own challenges, but it is a rewarding experience,” said NPASSL executive director Shantha K. Gunarathne.
The mist is indeed a unique feature at Horton Plains. Photographing in the mist is different from shooting in clear weather, but it also creates opportunities for an artistic shot. Scenes are no longer necessarily clear and defined, and are often deprived of contrast and colour – yet this can make the whole scene beautifully mysterious, adding a professional edge to the photo, say the experts.
The mist can sometimes make the subject into nothing but a husk of a silhouette. Photographing the silhouetted shapes is also another photographic opportunity. Depth and light conditions add more life to the picture. Water droplets in the mist also make light scatter a lot more than it would otherwise. This greatly softens the light, but also makes light streaks visible from concentrated or 
directional light sources. “However, like in any form of art it is the creativity of the individual that makes a photo taken in Horton Plains a good one,” point out the experts.
Instructor Rohitha Gunawardane highlighted the macro photography opportunities at Horton Plains – wild flowers and small creatures like frogs or horned lizards unique to this area. Most digital cameras used by amateur photographers are capable of capturing close range photos, so this can be a rewarding experiences for those who do not have sophisticated zoom lenses.
Wildlife photographer Isuru de Zoysa, – who frequently visits Horton Plains sharing his experience as a resource person at the workshop warned of the need to protect your camera from the damp when photographing in misty conditions. It usually drizzles at Horton Plains and the mist also brings lots of water droplets which can harm camera equipment. “One should be prepared to protect one’s camera equipment in the field,” advises Isuru. The mist can also cause condensation and these water droplets can accumulate in the lens and camera body. Taking along a clean absorbent cloth to wipe the lens and the camera is a must.
Established by Wilson Hegoda in 1950, the National Photographic Arts Society conducts classes, workshops, seminars and field excursions. A three-year diploma course in photography is also available free of charge.
- Rays of sun penetrating cloud forest
- A white-eye feeding on a flower on the plains
Team photographers at Hortan plains engulfed by mist
A chance to click your best
The 38th Annual Exhibition and Competition of Photography organized by the NPASSL will be held from December 16– 18. Four categories – Amateur Monochrome, Amateur Colour, Open Monochrome and Open Colour are open to all and photographs taken on any theme can be submitted. For more details see http://www.npasslanka.org, email info@npasslanka.org or call 777 519679.
Published on SundayTimes on 04.12.2011 www.sundaytimes.lk/111204/Magazine/sundaytimesmagazine_06.html
Sea Urchin invasion could impact beach tourism..?
January 1, 2012The sea urchin population in many coastal areas is on the increase, and this could have a negative impact on recreational activities associated with the coast. In certain areas, hundreds of these spiny creatures cover small areas of rock floor in shallow waters, presenting a risk to bathers, divers, and anyone who likes to go wading in the sea.
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| A sea urchin (Diadema Savignyi) |
A recent visitor came out of the sea with more than 400 sea urchin spines stuck in his body, according to marine biologist Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara. In another incident, a foreigner who had gone snorkelling in urchin-infested waters had to be taken to hospital to undergo surgery under general anaesthesic. Tourism could suffer a blow if the urchin invasion continues.
The sea urchin (ikiriya in Sinhala) is a spiny, hard-shelled creature that lives on the rocky seafloor, usually in shallow waters. The globular marine invertebrate has long sharp spines all over its body, and uses these needle-like growths to ward off predators. The spines inflict a painful wound if they penetrate human skin. The spines break when they go through flesh, which has to be cut open to remove the spine fragments.
The sea urchin population explosion is a result of an imbalance in marine ecosystems, says Dr. Kumara, who heads the Department of Oceanography and Marine Geology at the University of Ruhuna. Over-fishing and depletion in numbers of the Puffer fish – one of the sea urchin’s chief enemies – could be one reason for the abundance of the urchin.
The Puffer fish blows a powerful jet of water to dislodge the urchin off rock surfaces to which it attaches with the help of a muscle in its body. The Puffer fish then turns the defenceless urchin over and attacks its soft underside, which is not protected by spines.
Puffer fish numbers have dropped as a result of over-fishing and export. Marine pollution and marine ecosystem degradation are other factors that can exacerbate the problem.
Dr. Sevvandi Jayakodi of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, at the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, has conducted research on sea urchins along the southern coast. She says there are signs that stretches of shallow sea facing beach-front hotels have been systematically stripped of sea urchins “This can cause a further imbalance to an already imbalanced ecosystem,” she warned, pointing out that sea urchins are the main grazers and cleaners of rocky shore systems.
In other countries, the sea urchin is regarded as a friend that has helped to control invasive giant seaweed. The sea urchin is native to our oceans, and not an alien invasive species. As a part of our marine ecosystem, their removal could have repercussions.
A colony of Sea Urchins in shallow waters
Learn about ‘The Environment and You’
To mark its 30th anniversary, the Environment Foundation Limited (EFL) is holding a series of public lectures on the theme “Conserving our Marine and Coastal Treasures”.
The first lecture was given by Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara, who spoke about the “Sea Urchin Invasion.”
The next two lectures will be on “The Economics of the Environment”, on December 8, and “Responsible Wildlife Tourism”, on December 15.
The lectures are open to the public, and held in the auditorium of the Dialog Future World Building, on T. B. Jaya Mawatha, Colombo 10 (near Excel World), from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm. For more information, call EFL on 011-4528483.
Published on SundayTimes on 04.12.2011 www.sundaytimes.lk/111204/News/nws_14.html
Thrill-seekers take jumbo-size risks
January 1, 2012Those who give snacks to National Park animals are encouraging a dangerous practice, writes Malaka Rodrigo
Along the Thanamalwila Road, bordering the Udawalawe National Park unfolds a unique relationship between Wild Elephants and People who feeds them. Teasing and Touching these jumbos can bring dangerous repercussions, warns the experts.
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| Local visitors and tourists are unwittingly encouraging a potentially lethal habit when they feed wild elephants. |
A few years back, a single jumbo would be seen standing by the electric fence of the Udawalawe park, looking hopefully up and down the road for travellers who might stop by and give it food or toss out tidbits from their cars. After a while, the jumbo, a familiar sight at the fence, acquired a name, Rambo, and became a great wildlife attraction. Rambo made many human friends, and was later joined by another elephant, that was named Ramba. News was spreading along the jungle grapevine that treats were available at the fence. These days, you will see not one or two elephants but up to 20 or more male jumbos on the inside of the fence, waiting for treats from their two-legged pals.
Some 10 years ago, when the Uda Walawe fence was put up, it was seen as a “model” ecological boundary cum barrier, neatly marking out wildlife from human space. By and large, the fence has been well maintained and manned over the years.South Asian cultures see the feeding of animals, wild or tame, as meritorious. According to folklore, the first handful from your plate of rice should be put on a leaf or a rock and left out for an animal to eat. The “balu/kaputu dhaane” – food offerings for dogs and crows – are a common feature with many Sri Lankan households.
The Thanamanwila road is an important route for tourists and pilgrims heading to the South East. Not everyone who stops to feed the elephants means well. Some tease the animals by showing food and then withdrawing the treat. Such behaviour is provocative and only invites attack.
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| The animal and human numbers are rising daily. Photos: Malaka Rodrigo |
The Udawalawe fence is electrified only when night falls. Nocturnal prowlers that come in physical contact with the fence are in for a rude shock. Last year, the park management decided to switch on the fence during the day as well in order to avoid a disaster waiting to happen.
However, the fence requires regular maintenance and repair as jumbos break the fence more frequently now, which means the electricity has to be switched off. Villagers also trip the wires in the fence so then can send cattle into the national park to graze. As a result, the electric fence is often not functional during the day. Elephants are smart, and it is only matter of time before they will sense that the fence is “powerless” much of the time during the day.
During a recent visit to Uda Walawe, the Sunday Times observed 12 elephants standing at different spots alongside the fence, waiting for food. We stopped our vehicle where there were three elephants gathered. A boy came up to us to sell sugarcane to feed the elephants. On the other side of the road were wayside stalls selling “Elephant Treats” – bananas, melons, wood-apple and sugarcane. Selling jumbo treats to travellers has become an income earner for many residents in these parts. “It is okay to feed the elephants,” said the lad, when we pointed to the “No Feeding Elephants” signs put along the road.
A kid selling sure cane to visitors
Further up the road, a woman was throwing sugarcane at an elephant. She was the owner of a fruit stall and was trying to stall the elephant to help her to do business.
The woman admitted that feeding elephants was prohibited and that she and other vendors on the road had been warned by wildlife officers. “This is now our livelihood,” she said. Another elderly woman vendor at a shop next door sells only bananas as elephant snacks.
Driving further on, we discovered a string of wayside boutiques lining the road to Thanamalwila and beyond. These were selling produce, including fruit, vegetables, grain and pots of curd, to the steady stream of pilgrims going towards the sacred precints of Kataragama. We also discovered that the vendors dealing in elephant snacks were selling the pilgrim vendors’ rejects – bruised and discarded melons and overripe bananas.
A small road-side shop selling feeding items for elephants
“In the past few months the Uda Walawe fence has been frequently breached,” wildlife biologist Manori Gunawardena told us. She said she was driving along the road one morning, around 7 am, when she saw a wild elephant walking along the main road. “Hearing my car, the elephant ambled up to the fence, kicked over a post, and walked back into the national park”
From the number of posts that have had to be replaced in recent weeks, it is clear that some elephants have learned to break through the fence, and are making a habit of doing so.
The problem of elephants coming up to the fence has led to staff of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) actively chasing the animals away. In one area, the electric fence has had to be reinforced with a double fence put up a few hundred metres inside.
Udawalawe Park Warden D. M. Weerasinghe confirmed that elephants were regularly breaking down the fence, sometimes several days in a row. “They have developed a taste for sugarcane and other food, and now they are starting to infiltrate sugarcane farms and other cultivated land around the park. Recently an Udawalawe elephant was killed when it fell into a village well after a night-time raid,” he said, adding that there were wildlife officers on night duty as well looking for fence breakers.
Mr. Weerasinghe said there were plans to put up a second fence inside the park to stop elephants from reaching the outer fence, running along the main road. This second fence will be 16 kilometres long and 20 metres distant from the main fence.
The elephant expert Dr.Prithviraj Fenando has been studying these jumbos for many years now identifies 35 jumbos that got used to the habit. But he sees the issue from a different perspective calling it as a unique relationship between the village community and wild elephants. He pointed out that in all the conservation projects, lots of money is allocated to outreach the community in Human Elephant Conflict areas to give a positive frame of mind toward the elephants. In Udawalawe the community gets direct economic benefits from these wild elephants making it a unique example of co-existance.
Dr.Prithviraj also doesn’t think those elephants wait for food breaks the fence. “Why do they have to wait for night to break the fence..?” The food stall is out there on the other side of the road, so they can go for them even day time. He also points out that those fence breakers do not rob the food stalls at night and if those who break fence are jumbos waiting for food, their first target would be the fruit stalls infront of them. However, he said that it is possible that the other jumbos too may learn the techniques of fence breaking from those who master it, so proposes Wildlife Officers should do something to identify and get some action on the ‘Fence Breakers’.
Dominent jumbo steal food thrown at other elephant
However, the elephant expert also warns that teasing and touching the jumbos is asking for trouble. To avoid this, he proposes a simple ‘barbed wire’ 3 meters from the electric fence preventing people touching or teasing jumbos.
Driving back along the Thanamalwila road, we stopped where a group of foreign tourists had parked their Jeep. “Nowhere in the world do you get a chance to hand-feed a wild jumbo,” said one visitor who was holding out bananas to an elephant.
So these Udawalawe Elephants who comes for foods is a unique Socio-Economic and Environment phenomena that needs to be reviewed from open minds. However, if one goes too close – try to tease or touch these Wild Elephants, the results could result an awful accident sooner or later..!!
Published on SundayTimes on 18.12.2011 www.sundaytimes.lk/111218/News/nws_24.html
Pilgrims play dangerous game in tempting Sithulpawwa Tusker
December 2, 2011
Pilgrims offer food for Tusker (c) Aruna Seneviratne
Not a week passes without a report of the animal community being threatened in one way or another by humans who should know better. Last week, the Sunday Times reported on the problem of over-exposure of wildlife sanctuaries to tourists, local and foreign. The increasingly intrusive presence of humans in designated wildlife reserves is a cause for serious concern among wildlife lovers and protectors.
The ancient Sithulpawwa Rock Temple found within the Yala National Park is a popular site with Buddhist pilgrims. The area is also home to a majestic tusker. Admiring a tusker from a safe distance is one thing; offering the animal food is another, and a dangerous one.
The Sithupawwa tusker has become accustomed to taking food from visitors, and even comes within touching distance to accept hand-held food. Wildlife experts say the visitors are taking a huge risk because animals behaviour in the wild is not predictable.
Wildlife photographer Aruna Seneviratne, who has taken photographs of the tusker, told the Sunday Times that the monks at the temple have been compelled to use a loud-speaker to warn people not to feed the wild elephant. However, pilgrims continue to stand near the railing surrounding the temple and throw food for the tusker.
It was an ancient religious practice to offer food to wild animals, in the belief that doing so conferred merit on the giver. Rukshan Jayawardena is a conservationist and a wildlife photographer. According to Mr. Jayawardene, elephants come to humans if they are encouraged, and not because they cannot find food on their own in the jungle. He says animals can make a habit of coming in search of food wherever humans are gathered. It has been reported that this same tusker and other wild jumbos out foraging call at bungalows within the game park.
Less than a week ago, another young tusker, nicknamed Gemunu, tried to enter a wildlife bungalow in Buttuwa, Yala. The animal has been regularly treated to snacks by safari teams, and has developed a taste for cooked food.
Wild tusker dangerously closer to pilgrims (c) Aruna Seneviratne
Some time back, the same young tusker invaded the kitchen of a Yala hotel, and got out only after a great deal of thrashing about that caused much damage to the property. The hotel has had to enforce a “strictly no feeding” policy among its guests. Sadly, while coming closer to humans through human encouragement, these wild jumbos could be digging their own grave. Several jumbos that became over-familiar with humans and were eventually tagged as “dangerous pests,” have had to be eliminated.
Elephant conservationist Lal Anthonis recalled how a wild elephant broke into his bungalow in Mahaseelawe at about two in the morning. The animal had picked up a food cabinet placed on the veranda and flung it into the garden and proceeded to smash it open.
After talking to the former chief incumbent of the Sithulpawwa Temple, Mr. Anthonis was convinced that this was another elephant that had acquired a taste for food available through human agents, and that it had probably learnt the “bad habit” at the Sithulpawwa Temple.
Not long after, the animal was shot dead when it entered an Army Camp near the reserve and tried to smash its way into a bunker. It is also rumoured that leopards too are being tempted with food at camp sites. Visitors throw food in the hope that they will get a better view of the predators.
‘Female’ tusker report to be verified before news can be trumpeted
December 2, 2011| By Malaka Rodrigo |
| The “hot” news in the wildlife circuit last week was that a female tusker had been spotted in the Yala National Park. Only male Asian elephants have tusks, and only a small percentage of male Asian elephants have tusks. So the reported sighting of a “female elephant with tusks” has naturally caused a stir, sparking debate among wildlife experts and even prompting search parties to go in pursuit of the unlikely creature. The idea of a young “female tusker” becomes especially intriguing among those who want to believe it exists.
Dr. Vijitha Perera, Wildlife Veterinarian Surgeon for the Southern Region, told the Sunday Times that field officers at Yala claimed to have seen what they assumed to be a “female” tusker, which showed no visible sign of male genitalia when it was passing urine. According to Dr. Perera, it can be difficult to tell the sex of a young elephant that has not fully sexually matured. The tusker in question is believed to be about six years. In fact, this very difficulty makes it a challenge to determine the male:female ratio of the elephant population in a wildlife census. Elephant tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth. Some male elephants and female elephants can have what are known as “tushes”, which is a small short tusk with no pulp inside. Tusks remain short, and are easily identified. Both sexes of the African elephants can have tusks, while only a minority of male of Asian elephants bears tusks. Wildlife Department Director H. D. Ratnayake told the Sunday Times that a team headed by veteran elephant researcher, Professor Charles Santhiapillai, is to visit the game reserve to have a look at the elephant in question. published on 27.11.2011 on SundayTimes http://www.sundaytimes.lk/111127/News/nws_25.html |
Banana farm on national park land dismantled: A win for conservationists
December 2, 2011| By Malaka Rodrigo | ||
| The Dole Lanka banana farm that was set up on land belonging to the Somawathiya National Park (SNP), has been dismantled. According to sources, farm machinery has been removed, and young banana trees cleared from a 500 acre area on the east bank of the Mahaweli River. The farm had extended outside the Kandakaduwa Farm area leased to the company.
The Somawathie National Park covers land drained by the Mahaweli, in the North Central and Eastern Provinces. The decision by owners Dole Lanka Pvt Ltd to shut down the farm marks a victory for conservationists, who had lobbied intensely to have the land cleared of illegal encroachment. The farm came to public notice when environment organisations, supported by the media, including the Sunday Times, highlighted the encroachment.
While the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) and the Ministry of Agrarian Services and Wildlife maintained that park land had not been encroached upon, activists and conservationists produced World Wildlife Fund (WWF) satellite images to prove that the disputed area occupied by the banana farm did indeed extend into the national park. “We are extremely pleased with the turn of events and the prompt manner in which Dole has acted in this instance, which we trust will serve as an example to other organisations that are presented with evidence of infringements in law governing public assets,” said Wardani Karunaratne of Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL). EFL had lobbied directly with Dole Food Inc. EFL is affiliated to the Wildlife and Nature protection Society (WNPS); Wilderness Area Protection Foundation (WAPF), and other conservationist groups. All were concerned about the unauthorised clearing of forest land within the national park. In September, EFL and other conservationists had met a Dole Asia representative and presented their case. After conducting its own investigation, Dole Asia acknowledged that the cultivated area was within park premises. On November 16, Dole Asia confirmed that all banana farm operations had been withdrawn from the area. According to environmentalist Sajeewa Chamikara, the farm should be outside the one-mile buffer zone around the Somawathie National Park. This is a legal requirement, under the Flora and Fauna Ordinance. While praising the Dole Food Company for showing responsibility and responding accordingly, Mr. Chamikara said there was a danger that other commercial interests may be eyeing the abandoned lands, and that vigilance was required. The conservation community of Sri Lanka has appealed to all investors to first conduct studies on the legality and environmental sustainability of any business moves that involved use of land around the country, especially forest land. Published on SundayTimes on 27.11.2011 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/111127/News/nws_17.html |
Lanka’s leopard poster wins international award
November 22, 2011| But tourists are less than satisfied with the overall safari experience – By Malaka Rodrigo | |
| A poster showing a pair of Sri Lanka leopards has been named Best Poster for the South Asia Region in an international competition. The poster was created and submitted by Sri Lanka Tourism for the Vettor Giusti Tourism Poster Competition, which is held once in two years to mark the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly sessions.
The winning posters will be on display in the entrance hall of the UNWTO building in Madrid, Spain. Sri Lanka Tourism has launched a campaign under the banner, “Refreshingly Sri Lanka”, leveraging on the country’s natural wealth and beauty. The content of the campaign falls into eight categories, based on the eight letters that spell “Sri Lanka.” As a tourism destination, the country can boast of a wide range of wildlife – from the leopard and the sloth bear to the elephant and the blue whale – all encompassed in a relatively small geographical area, the campaign points out.
Sri Lanka has the potential to become the “Wildlife Wonder of Asia” as long as the country’s tourism potential is properly tapped, say conservationists. Feedback from visitors suggest that this is not happening. Answering a recent survey questionnaire, tourists said they were “satisfied” with the wildlife experience in game reserves in general, but not with the “overall experience.” They cited setbacks such as a lack of knowledgeable guides, congestion in parks, and negative behaviour by jeep drivers who disturbed animals. They also mentioned park infrastructure deficiencies, such as inadequate visitor centres and unclean toilets. All these factors, they said, prevented them from describing their visit to Sri Lanka as “memorable.” Tourists mentioned popular national parks in other countries where visitor numbers and conduct within parks are monitored. In India, many of the tiger reserves have a daily quota for vehicles permitted inside, and strict rules on the number of vehicles allowed per route. In game reserves in South Africa, only a limited number of safari jeeps are allowed for each wildlife sighting, and only one vehicle at a time is permitted at an observation point. In Ruwanda, a maximum eight visitors at a time are allowed to observe the rare Mountain Gorillas. The fact that all these tours are always fully booked attests to visitor satisfaction with the arrangements. The “sustainable tourism” lobby in Sri Lanka would like to see Sri Lanka pitched as a high-end conservation tourism destination, while avoiding the pitfalls of mass tourism. This would be economically beneficial and protective of the wildlife within the wildlife parks, they say. The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is working closely with conservationists to promote regulated, well-conducted wildlife tourism. Vipula Wanigasekera, acting director-general of Sri Lanka Tourism, told the Sunday Times that research was being done to determine visitor capacity for Yala National Park, and that an action plan was being drawn up. As a first step, Sri Lanka Tourism and other animal welfare groups are training Yala trackers in game reserve best practices, as observed in other tourism-dedicated countries. Activists say the Department of Wildlife Conservation needs to boost its resources and beef up its numbers in order to manage visitors. More trained guides are urgently needed, they say. Published on SundayTimes on 20.11.2011 www.sundaytimes.lk/111120/News/nws_16.html |
Hit-and-run leopard killing enrages animal lovers
November 22, 2011| Mobile phones and speeding vehicles are the latest enemies to invade animal territory. | |||
| Malaka Rodrigo reports | |||
| Visitors to wildlife parks have a responsibility to protect the wildlife they are so eager to see. Excessive eagerness, compounded with callous disregard for basic road safety rules and consideration for others, can result in the kind of hit and run tragedy that occurred recently when a speeding vehicle killed a leopard within the Yala wildlife sanctuary. Images of the roadkill shocked and enraged the public, and animal lovers in particular.The latest enemy to invade protected wildlife terrain is the mobile phone – a piece of technology visitors are increasingly using to alert other visitors when they have sighted a rare animal, usually a leopard. Whenever a leopard is seen, mobile phones are plucked out and messages sent, and minutes or seconds later, convoys of speeding safari trucks and cars rush to the scene – a spectacle that belongs to crowded urban areas, not to a wildlife sanctuary.
Irresponsible vehicle owners who disturb animals and threaten their existence is a growing problem, and one that is tarnishing the genuine wildlife experience, animal lovers say. On a “good day,” hundreds of vehicles can be seen heading into Yala, and they usually keep to routes known for leopard sightings. The instant a leopard is seen, mobile phones are plucked out, messages are conveyed, and the race is on. Animal lovers are calling for a total ban on mobile phones within wildlife premises, or at least an order prohibiting mobile phone use by visitors. Activists have also called for the shutting off of mobile phone transmission towers in the neighbourhood of a sanctuary. They suggest that the transmission towers be switched off during sight-seeing peak hours, from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Vimukthi Weeratunge of Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) is on the team that is working on an action plan for Yala.
He said even trackers were calling for regulation of the Yala transmission tower. Mobile phone operators have no problem with switching off transmission towers at designated times, he said, as long as the Telecommunication Regulation Commission (TRC) gives its approval. It is up to the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) and Sri Lanka Tourism to follow up and see the matter through. Vipula Wanigasekera, acting director-general of Sri Lanka Tourism, told the Sunday Times that mobile phone connectivity was vital inside a wildlife reserve in case of emergencies, and that awareness-raising and the promotion of proper “road” behaviour, was the answer. Meanwhile, no action has so far been taken regarding the hit-and-run killing of the Yala leopard. Tharindu Jayasinghe, secretary of the Yala Jeep Drivers’ Association, said it was unlikely that a driver of a safari vehicle registered with the organisation, was responsible. He believed the death was likely caused by visitors who had booked a Yala bungalow or set up camp inside the game reserve. Others interviewed by the newspaper said the death could have been caused by vehicles arriving early that morning from Yala Block II. Published on SundayTimes on 20.11.2011 http://sundaytimes.lk/111120/News/nws_10.html |
World’s longest dragonfly migration via Sri Lanka?
November 6, 2011| By Malaka Rodrigo | |
Last week, a large cloud of dragonflies was observed along the west coast near Colombo. Subsequently, an increase of dragonflies was sighted in many areas islandwide. This sudden appearance of dragonflies in large numbers raised the curiosity of the public.This wave of dragonflies was first reported moving southwards in large numbers on October 20 morning. One of the witnesses, Nashath Haffi of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) says while travelling by train he observed this wave around 7 a.m., parallel to the coast, continuously from Moratuwa to Kollupitiya. It is not clear whether the swarm continued further southward.With the aim of investigating the phenomena, the Sunday Times visited the Dehiwala beach, which was in the middle of the recorded route of the dragonflies last Sunday. The residents, mostly fisher folk, when interviewed, confirmed sighting on October 20 a wave of dragonflies flying southwards at a height of about 10 feet. Some of them said it was the first time they had observed such a phenomenon, while others said it was an annual event.
The Dehiwala residents also assisted in catching a few dragonflies still hovering in the vicinity. This dragonfly is about 4.5 cm long, with a wingspan of about 5 cm. The body is a golden colour (dark yellow) with a dark line. The wings are clear and very broad at the base, with a tip near the end. The photos were shared with dragonfly experts and the species identified as Globe Skimmer, or Wandering Glider, scientifically categorised as Pantala flavescens. Investigations also revealed an interesting fact that this dragonfly is migratory like birds. A Dragonfly migration is believed to be happening annually from India to Africa via the Maldives. Dr. Charles Anderson, who had researched this migration, confirms that, the dragonflies caught in Dehiwala, are the same species involved in the India-Africa migration. Living in the Maldives since 1983, Dr. Anderson continues to observe a sudden influx of dragonflies which raised his initial curiosity. Dragonflies need freshwater to raise their young, as their larvae stage is spent in freshwater. However, the Maldives is a group of oceanic islands with sand that absorbs all the rainwater it gets. Hence, no freshwater pools are formed even after rain falls. So, apparently, the dragonflies recorded in the Maldives are from elsewhere. Dr. Anderson started noting down dates of dragonflies seen for the first time in the Maldives, and then compared the data of dragonflies appearing in South India. He found a clear sequence of arrival dates from north to south. According to this data, dragonflies first arrive in Southern India and then in the Maldives. According to his research, each year, dragonflies first appear in the Maldive’s capital, Male, between October 4 and 23, with a mean arrival date of October 21. Quite interestingly, the sighting of the dragonfly wave along the west coast was reported on October 20, which is quite close to the dates they arrive in the Maldives. So, dragonflies seen in Sri Lanka, must also be those involved in this migration. Dragonflies, though hardy, are small insects – so how can they fly such long distances? Dr. Anderson also attributes that wind patterns help them in this journey. In October, and continuing into November and December, a weather system called the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) moves southwards over the Maldives. Dr. Anderson suggests these dragonflies must be flying on these winds at altitudes above 1,000 metres.  Globe Skimmer (Pantala flavescens) caught from Dehiwala “Ahead of the ITCZ, the wind blows towards India, but above and behind it, the winds blow from India. So, it seems that, the dragonflies are able to reach the Maldives by flying on these winds at altitudes above 1,000 metres” he said. This could probably be assisting them to visit Sri Lanka too. Since last week, we are experiencing much rain, which could be a result of this weather pattern. Raising the importance of following traditional knowledge, many of the Dehiwala fishing community say these dragonfly waves appear with the change of wind, or ‘goda sulan’, which they are quite accustomed to identifying. The researcher also found data of sudden appearances of dragonflies in Africa, and when collated, the analysis matches, indicating this migration continues all the way to Africa, more than 14,000 km away. Migrant Watch – You too can support science There is a need for extensive research to solve the mysteries of this migration. But the first step would be to monitor where the dragonflies have been sighted in large numbers, which will at least give the coordinates of a possible map. The FOGSL has initiated a programme called MIGRANT WATCH, and invites the general public to forward information on these dragonfly movements. If you have seen swarms of dragonflies recently, please forward location and related dates. Migrant Watch mainly aims at observing Migrant Birds as a Citizen Science project. Prof. Sarath Kotagama also highlights the importance of observation even by non-experts, as being immensely helpful, as that of the dragonfly migration, which was triggered by Nashath sharing his sighting on October 20. So, he invites all to participate in MIGRANT WATCH, and email the data to fogsl@slt.lk or, post it to FOGSL, Dept. of Zoology, University of Colombo, Colombo 3. Further details can be obtained from 2 501 332 / 0712 543 634 / 0712 543 634. published on sundayTimes on 06/11/2011 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/111106/News/nws_09.html |
Hit and run vehicle kills a leopard in Yala
November 6, 2011The carcass of a young leopard was found near Patanangala on October 22, around 6.a.m. by a group of wildlife enthusiasts who had set out early to get a glimpse of the morning wildlife.
The body had not been touched by predators and was still warm at the time it was found with a wound visible on its side, raising suspicion that it could have been killed by a wild boar attack. However, the carcass was sent to Udawalawe for a post-mortem and it was revealed that the leopard in fact had been killed by a speeding vehicle inside the park.
The veterinary team that conducted the post-mortem found that the leopard’s ribs were smashed and its lungs damaged. Dr.Vijitha Perera who headed the team said that kind of injury could only be caused due to a collision with a speeding vehicle.
Leopards are the key attraction at Yala and sometimes it is overcrowded by tourists who visit the park mainly to get a glimpse of the elusive big cat. The tourists often spend long hours in the park to maximize the opportunity of leapord sightings. However, since there is a rule that vehicles should leave the park at 6.30 p.m., some vehicles make a last minute dash speeding towards the exit just in time. Wildlife officials believe that one such vehicle could have been the culprit behind this hit and run tragedy.
 Leopard carcass photographed few minutes after it was found (c) Spencer Manuelpillai |
But the fact that the leopard was found in the morning with its body still warm and untouched by predators such as mongoose and not even covered by ants, has many wildlife activists believe that the fatal accident would have happened just a couple of hours before it was discovered in the morning. “If it happened in the morning it won’t be difficult to trace those responsible as only a few vehicles are usually found in the park that early,” Rukshan Jayawardene of the Leopard Trust said.
Pointing out that the leopard was a young female around six months old, Mr. Jayawardene said losing a female in Yala endangered the species more than when losing a male. A male leopard mates with several females so the death of a female means losing about several cubs for Yala.
He said the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) should launch an investigation to find the culprits and to impose strict regulations about speed limits to curb such tragedies in the future.
It is well known that over-visitation is a huge problem at the Yala Park, especially since the end of the war. On some long weekends, there are over 150 vehicles driving visitors into the park. However due to the limited number of trained wildlife trackers it is difficult to assign a tracker for every jeep thus leaving room for reckless behaviour by visitors, wildlife activists point out.
Most of the visitors’ main aim is to see as many wildlife as possible and sometimes at their insistence the trackers are forced to comply resulting in speeding vehicles and traffic jams.
The increase in the number of enthusiasts whose main hobby is to click a leopard has also aggravated the situation. This hobby has its downside especially with the popularity of Facebook where photographs are shared encouraging others to take their own leopard shots. This has has already driven away genuine wildlife photographers. “We no longer visit Yala,” said wildlife photographer Namal Kamalgoda who was a fan of Yala about a decade ago. He said many wildlife lovers like him have stopped visiting Yala and are looking at other prospects.
Yala is also being promoted as a tourist destination by the Tourism Promotion Bureau. But wildlife lovers say that even foreign tourists would stop going to Yala if there isn’t a check on the unruly behaviour, mainly of local tourists.
Wildlife biologist Manori Gunawardane says the tourism industry should impose self regulation to control the situation in national parks like Yala. Simple measures such as not to employ a jeep driver who misbehaves too can make an impact say conservationists.
She said many jeep drivers and tour operators have not understood the real meaning of a wildlife experience and believe that it only boils down to taking a photograph of one wildlife sighting and then rushing to another. She also said targeting some parks as safari sites for one species or another has also endangered the tranquility of these nature reserves.
Commenting on over-visitation, DWC Director General H.D.Ratnayake said that they are opening other wildlife spots to ease the pressure on the popular sites. He said measures have been taken to strengthen the existing rules regarding speeding vehicles with moves to cancel the licences of those who do not adhere to the speed limits. He also said investigations are being carried out on the death of the leopard.
published on SundayTimes on 06/11/2011 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/111106/News/nws_20.html
Feathered migrant friends come back to Bundala
October 30, 2011It’s the migratory season, and birds from overseas are arriving to stay out the winter months with us. And some of the visitors are old friends, writes Malaka Rodrigo
Sri Lanka is the destination of choice for a variety of migrant birds, and they usually stop over at the same sites every year.
This was proved by two feathered visitors – a Common Redshank and a Lesser Sand Plover – that were captured recently in the Bundala National Park, on the southern coast.A team of bird lovers working for the National Bird Ringing Programme noted that the two birds had been ringed during earlier visits to the national park: the Common Redshank was ringed in 2009, and the Lesser Sand Plover in 2007.
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| Exhausted Pitta found in Maradana in 2009 |
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| Setting up mist nests in Bundala at dusk |
Bird migration is a source of fascination to bird lovers. Year after year, during the visiting season, these overseas callers are drawn to Sri Lanka, because of the island’s geographical position, just below the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. Sri Lanka represents their final destination in their long journey from their homes in northern climates.
The National Bird Ringing Programme, a scientific study of bird migration patterns, is a joint venture of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka and the Department of Wild Life Conservation. The programme was launched six years ago, in April 2005, at the Bundala National Park.
Migrant birds start arriving in Sri Lanka around the middle of August, ahead of the winter in their native lands. After spending around six months in the island, they return to their breeding grounds towards the end of April the following year. Of the 492 bird species recorded in Sri Lanka, 169 or 36 per cent are migrants. Waders, ducks and coastal birds represent the bulk of the visitors.
The Bundala wetland, about 15 kilometres east of Hambantota, is a paradise for migrants, and has been the base for the ringing programme.
Ringing is a delicate operation, and is generally conducted at dusk. Mist nets (nets with small holes eyes) are strung up around the Bundala lagoon. Birds that get entangled in the nets are taken to the camp and their statistics recorded. A small, individually numbered ring is attached to the birds’ legs.
The ringing exercise takes place four times a year, three during the migratory season and one in July. The three migratory season operations are conducted at the start of the wintering period (September to October); in mid-winter (December to January), and the end of the wintering period (March to April).
Researchers say the ringing programme should be expanded to other locations in the country in order to allow a better understanding of the migrants.
Habitat loss is a serious threat to migrants, says ornithologist, Professor Sarath W. K. Kotagama. The migrants are highly vulnerable to disruption of habitat, such as the cutting down of swathes of forest. These disruptions may threaten the very survival of the bird species, he says.
Watch out for migrants in trouble
Anyone who cares about birds and wildlife would be interested to know that you do not have to go all the way to the south coast, to places like the Bundala Nature Reserve, to see migrant birds.
Some of the more common migrants visit home gardens as their temporary residence, and even hover around populated urban areas, including the city of Colombo. These visitors include the Indian Pitta (Avichchiya); the Asian Paradise Flycatcher (Sudu-Redi Hora); the Blue-tailed Bee-eater; the Brown Flycatcher, the Barn Swallow, and the Forest Wagtail.
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The Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, an affiliate of BirdLife International, organizes “MigrantWATCH”, an opportunity for bird lovers to observe and study migratory birds.
Some of the common migrants need our help in order to survive. The Indian Pitta, for example, arrives in Sri Lanka, usually exhausted after its long journey. Protect the bird if you see it in your garden.
The Sunday Times reported one such Indian Pitta that was rescued in Nugegoda. and another that was rescued in Colombo. Alert residents can help the tired bird by rescuing the troubled Indian Pittas found in their gardens. “This is one of the reasons we started MigrantWATCH,” says a member of the Ornithological Society.
If you spot a troubled migrant bird, or would like to participate in the MigrantWATCH programme, call the Field Ornithology Group (011) 2501332 / 0776248302, or write to fogsl@slt.lk.
Upcoming Migrant WATCH activities:
* Lecture on “Migration and Bundala Birds” by Prof. Sarath Kotagama on Saturday, October 29, at 9.30 am, at the Science Faculty of the University of Colombo (entrance on Thurstan Road)
* Field visit and workshop to Bundala to study migrants and wader birds: 10 to 13 November
* Field visit to Mannar : 8 to 11 December
* Field visits to Thalangama and other wetlands to see migrants
(call (011) 2501332 / 0776248302 for details).
Published on SundayTimes on 30.10.2011 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/111030/News/nws_21.html
Sri Lanka Swinging between Fossil Fuel and Renewable Energy
October 30, 2011| Eco-friendly, sustainable Renewable Energy like Solar Power is the way forward-Experts – By Malaka Rodrigo | ||
At a point when Sri Lanka faces a looming energy crisis, a Solar Power Plant was commissioned in Hambantota last month, to meet the electricity needs of the area. The new plant, which will add 500 kw to the national grid, has been touted by authorities as the first such Solar Power Plant in Sri Lanka. The plant will generate 2,300 units of electricity daily, and is expected to generate 839,500 kilowatt hours annually.
Also known as Renewable Energy (RE), solar power is a freely available clean energy source which doesn’t emit any pollutant, unlike Fossil Fuel or Coal-burning Thermal Power stations. Located close to the equator, Sri Lanka does not experience any seasonal variation in solar radiation. A solar resource map for Sri Lanka shows that the solar radiation varies from 4.0 – 4.5 kilowatt-hours per square meter per day on most parts of the flat dry zone which accounts for about two-thirds of the land area of the country, making Solar power an abundant option. In this era of Global Warming, much research is being carried out on technologies to reduce cost and increase efficiency of Renewable Energy. However, high initial capital cost is still a problem in promoting Solar Energy. This Solar Power Plant alone has cost Rs 412 million, with the Korean Government funding the project to make it a reality. The power plant will serve the electricity needs of over 3,000 rural families. Speaking at the launching ceremony, Power & Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said the time has come for the country to focus on alternate energy resources, as the power generated using fossil fuel is becoming expensive. The Minister revealed plans to increase usage of sustainable energy resources in the next few years, with the promise of achieving countrywide electrification by 2015. As many rural areas are not connected to the main electricity grid, Sri Lanka has to rely on RE to make this objective achievable, point out energy experts. Former vice chairman of UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Prof. Mohan Munasinghe is also of the view that monetary benefits alone should not be the sole criteria when promoting RE. Prof. Munasinghe who was also an advisor on Power and Energy to former president J.R. Jayewardene, pointed out that small scale RE projects are best suited for areas located far from the national grid. When cost of connecting these areas to national grids add up, the initial capital cost of setting up of RE plants will be justified. He also says that, most RE plants are easy to operate. Hence, the surrounding rural community itself can be trained to operate these plants. The Prof. adds that, this would enable to technically empower Sri Lanka’s rural community, especially the youth. A second Solar Power Plant is also being built near the same locality in Hambantota, and will be in operation soon. At present, unconventional RE contributes only 6% of the national power generation, excluding the electricity generated by conventional, large hydropower projects. The Sustainable Energy Authority, the apex institution driving Sri Lanka towards Energy Sustainability, targets to increase non-conventional RE power generation by 10% by 2015. There are many mini hydropower projects that have been established as RE sources, but most of the water sources are almost fully utilized, limiting further expansion. Hence, the country has to turn to Biomass (dendro power), Solar or Wind energies to achieve this RE target, point out Energy experts. Government has also recently revealed plans to set up “Wind Energy Parks” to allow investors build wind farms. The first such wind energy park will be established in Mannar. However, Environmentalists point out that the country should also be carefully evaluating its RE options. Though it cuts pollutant emissions, clearance of large tracts of land is required. For instance, Wind Farms make other environmental impacts. A mini hydropower project being set up in the Mahaweli River is in the spotlight recently, for not following EIA procedures and for dumping used solar panels, which will add to the e-waste. Hence, every aspect has to be considered, but RE is the way forward, point out experts. Sampur Coal Power Plant Agreement signedDespite attempts to move toward Renewable Energy (RE), Sri Lanka this week signed an agreement to set up its second coal power station at Sampur in Trincomalee. This will be a joint venture between India and Sri Lanka, at an estimated cost of US$ 500 million. Construction is expected to begin next year, and due to be completed in 2016. The country’s first Coal Power plant in Norochcholai was commissioned earlier this year, but is not operating to its potential due to many technical defects. The Chinese-built plant has been shut down on several occasions, allegedly for being unstable. Hence, it is important to evaluate what has gone wrong in Norochcholai, so that those mistakes will not be repeated in Sampur. Energy experts point out that it is not prudent to move towards Coal Power, as it may become an expensive option in future. Addressing journalists at a forum organised by the Sri Lankan Youth Climate Action Network on ‘Climate Change & Energy Sustainability’, Executive Director- Sri Lanka Energy Forum, Asoka Abeygunawardana said that it is not prudent to move toward Coal Power, as it is a depleting resource whose cost will increase in future, compelling us to spend more on electricity. When these unforeseen costs are summed up, the initial investment for RE is worth it, he says. Mr. Abeygunawardana is also an advisor to the Power & Energy Minister, and the author of “A World without Oil or Coal – a solution to Sri Lanka’s electricity crisis in the post fossil fuel era”. In his book, he highlights that energy supply plans without taking into consideration the global energy crisis, should be stopped even at this late stage. “Sri Lanka, having built oil power plants, while staring the oil crisis in the face, is now fighting to construct coal power plants, with the coal crisis and climate change staring them in the face. Exchanging one rapidly depleting source for another is possibly the most foolish policy decision that the government can make. Instead, it should strategise and implement a plan for tapping RE sources over the next six years,” he states. In the preface of this book, Chairman- Green Movement, Suranjan Kodituwakku writes the need to recognise the Government’s dubious approach to solving the energy crisis, by stating on the one hand, that we should move towards RE sources, while on the other, it is constructing more and more coal power plants. Published on SundayTimes – www.sundaytimes.lk/110911/News/nws_019.html |
From the Himalayas to your doorstep
October 24, 2011(This is the migration season and during this time of end October, the migrant Indian Pitta has been found several occasions exhausted after their long journey. This is another article done in 2009, where a pitta has been rescued in heart of populated Colombo. Since the same can be repeated this year, the article is repost here, so that you can help if you get an exhausted visitor in your own garden or even at your office..!!)
Sri Lanka, being the southern tip of the Central-Asian flyway, has about 200 migrant birds visiting each year. The Indian Pitta is probably the most beautiful of them all. This bird that breeds in the Himalayan foothills may visit your home garden this season, writes Malaka Rodrigo
Suranga had just finished his morning workload when he heard the raucous cawing of a flock of crows. He looked to see what the commotion was all about. For a moment, he thought a rainbow had fallen from the sky. But it was only a multi-coloured bird which, fluttering weakly, landed near him. Gathering all its remaining strength, it tried to fly but ended up getting stuck in the nearby AC. Suranga with his fellow workers at the Delmege Company rescued the bird, placing it carefully in a cardboard box.
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“We never expected to find such a beautiful bird in a congested Colombo neigbourhood like Maradana,” said Chandana Hettiarachchi, Maintenance Manager of Delmege. A bird lover himself, Chandana identified the bird as an Indian Pitta known as Avichchiya in Sinhala and called the Dehiwela Zoological Gardens for advice on how to treat it.
Though the Indian Pitta feeds on insects and worms, this Pitta had happily eaten the fruits and rice offered to him. It was also drinking water showing signs of early recovery, so the rescuers kept the bird in its box in a dark corner without disturbing it. After a few days, its strength regained it flew off to explore its new territory.
This is not the only instance of an exhausted Indian Pitta being rescued in Colombo during the migration season. The Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) too reported two Indian Pittas found in Colombo a few weeks ago. One of them died of exhaustion, but the other recovered and flew away, much to the delight of the rescuers.
“It is not uncommon to find exhausted Indian Pittas at the start of the migration season. They are not sick, but get disoriented after the long journey,” explained veteran Ornithologist Prof. Sarath Kotagama. He advised that the troubled birds be fed with mild sugar syrup and if unable to fly, provided a safe place away from possible predators, until they are fit to fly again.
The Indian Pitta is called Aru-mani-kuruvi in Tamil which means the 6 ’o clock bird and its loud, clear double whistle ‘wheet-tew’, can be heard in the morning and evening around 6 ’o clock. So listen for this unmistakable call – it maybe a visitor from the Himalayas.
If you see a troubled migrant
There may be exhausted late comers who may still land on your doorstep. Dr. Deepani Jayantha offers some tips on helping them.
- An exhausted or injured bird could be fully conscious, semi-conscious or unconscious. Such a bird should be protected from dogs, cats, rats, crows, shikras etc. Keep them in a dark, quiet and warm place. Handle them gently only if necessary and never force-feed a semi-conscious or unconscious bird.
- If it is too weak to fly on its own; try giving it small amounts of low concentrated glucose saline with Vitamin C.
- If the bird is able to fly, release it as soon as possible in a proper environment.
- If it is necessary to keep the bird for a few days for medical care, provide a proper cage (avoid injurious materials) with a perch protected from predators. Attend to traumatic injuries (broken bones) as necessary – if extensive care is needed, consult a veterinarian
- Provide clean food and water.
Published on 2009 on SundayTimes http://sundaytimes.lk/091108/Plus/plus_13.html
Fly, fly, pant, pant.. there’s more to go!
October 24, 2011What do you do if you come across a dead-beat migratory bird?
By Malaka Rodrigo, Pic by Sasitha Weerasinghe
(This is the migration season and during this time of end October, the migrant Indian Pitta has been found several occasions exhausted after their long journey. This article has been done in 2007, where several such pittas are rescued. Since the same can be repeated this year, the article is repost here, so that you can help if you get an exhausted visitor in your own garden)
“The day has just arrived at my garden in Kalubowila, but the morning sky was gloomy and hinted more rains. ‘Kelie’- my female dog was suspiciously looking at a darker corner in the garage. In the shade, there was a bird. It didn’t move….. It looked at me innocently, through its wide open eyes. ‘Kelie’ was vigilant, but haven’t tried to attack, may be understanding the anguish of the exhausted bird. I have taken it to a veterinary surgeon and later handed over to one of my friend to look after it, as it couldn’t stand on its own. Small worms were fed and the bird showed hints of recovering. However, it was too weak and after three days, on Saturday 10th November, the bird – Slaty-Legged Crake died.”
This was the experience of Dulani Dissanayake, a bird watcher who tried to save the life of a migrant bird that would have been exhausted after its long flight.
Over 200 species of birds migrate to Sri Lanka, during the migratory period that starts usually in late August and extends upto to March/April. The bird visitors travel mainly from Europe and northern parts of India. Circulated on the email network of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) last week, were two more accounts of migrant Indian Pittas found in home gardens. The Indian Pitta found in Udahamulla in the garden of Sasitha Weerasinghe was also exhausted, but recovered after being fed with water.
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| The Indian Pitta found at Udahamulla. |
But the Indian Pitta at Pelawatte in the garden of Dr. Udaya Kumarasinghe was not that lucky. This Pitta had been observed over the past few years in his garden and Dr. Kumarasinghe had even treated the bird two years ago. On that occasion, he had been seated on his verandah when the Pitta just fell off a nearby tree. He nursed it and the bird recovered in an hour or so and flew away but returned to his garden for the rest of the season. The Pitta came back last year as well. Some of the territorial birds show site tenacity which drives them to the same location year after year.
“It is common to find the migrant birds exhausted after a long flight. Those migrants who travel during the night may be attracted to the light. This is why many birds are found in home gardens. Birds that are attracted to light may collide with windows and get hurt. They can also be easy prey to domestic cats and dogs while resting. Otherwise, birds usually recover on their own,” says veteran ornithologist Prof. Sarath Kotagama. Birds may be found even in the heart of Colombo, where the lights of the buildings attract migrants. But such incidents are rarely recorded, he adds.
Emphasizing the importance of collecting data, Prof. Kotagama invites bird watchers to send their records to the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) which is also conducting the National Bird Ringing programme in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation, primarily to study migrant birds.
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Usually before the migration, birds feed a lot to gain the strength needed for their long flights. Their bodies are streamlined for flight and in addition, migrant birds employ several other mechanisms to minimize the effort of flying. Larger birds like eagles, cranes and storks soar in the sky, using the thermal upwind. They fly to a higher elevation and then manoeuvre with the wind to move forward with minimum effort.
Larger birds usually migrate during the daytime through a route mostly across a land area. Small birds like Flycatchers and Indian Pittas prefer to travel at night. Not having the advantage of soaring, they have to beat their wings continuously to travel.
If you find an exhausted bird, you need to be calm and not panic the bird further. Chase away the cats, dogs, crows and any other potential predator and leave the bird as it is to recover. If the bird seems to be extremely weak, it could be given water.
Bird Flu: is it really safe..?
There are fears about the spread of Bird Flu through migrant birds. But Avian Influenza has not reached the island or any location that is on the migratory route.Still it is always best to take precautions before handling a sick bird. Using a pair of gloves and cleaning up thoroughly after handling such a bird is indeed wise.
The best we can do is protecting the habitats that are used by these migrants. Start the effort in your own home garden. Plant a tree, make a shade for the exhausted migrants to rest and live in peace during their stay.
Published on 18.11.2007 on SundayTimes www.sundaytimes.lk/071118/Plus/plus00016.html
Nature tourism a threat to Marble Rock frog..?
October 16, 2011Sri Lanka has been promoted as a wildlife spectacle of the world. But unregulated tourism threatens to spoil this nature-based tourism industry, even before its true potential is tapped. Over-visitation and visitor-misbehaviour have already put stress on leopards in Yala, elephants in Minneriya and even the Giant Blue Whales off Mirissa.
These large animals may survive, but there are smaller species found only in limited sites and disturbance to these habitats means the extinction of these species. The Marble Rock frog or Kirthisinghe’s Rock Frog that is found only in a few sites in the Knuckles range tops the list of these threatened species.
This endemic amphibian was scientifically classified by Prakrama Kirthisinghe in 1946 as Nannophrys mamorata. Known as the Dumbara Galpara Madiya in Sinhala, Kirthisinghe’s Marble Frog is already listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Kirthisinghe’s rock frog is a small 25mm amphibian. It is a stream-dwelling frog found on cracks on the rocks, under boulders and on other flat wet surfaces in rocky hill streams. Kirthisinghe’s rock frog is found only in the Pitawala Pathana and suburban area of the Knuckles range, making it vulnerable to extinction, if these sites are disturbed.
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| Marble Rock frog – dumbara galpara madiya |
However, Pitawala Pathana is a scenic area that also boasts of a drop popularly known as the Mini-world’s End attracting thousands of tourists. These tourists often do not respect the habitats in this area, jumping into streams engaging in fun and frolic. Some of them who know about this unique frog look out for it by lifting rocks in the stream inadvertently destroying its habitat.
The Environmental Conservation Trust (ECT) claims that many of this frog’s micro habitats in Pitawala Pathana have already been destroyed. ECT activist Sajeewa Chamikara said before an environmental sensitive site is promoted for tourism, there has to be a plan to manage the critical habitats and its unique species from over-exploitation.
He said in the Pitawala Pathana area tourists are only supposed to stick to paths demarcated by white stones, but people pay little attention to them.
Sajeewa said local tourists were largely ignorant about the protection of the environment and wildlife authorities and media should be conscious of this factor when promoting environmentally sensitive sites as tourist destinations. He feared that the new visitor centre coming near Pitawala Pathana may bring more tourists to the site.
However, a Forest Department source said the visitor centre would help to make people aware of the importance of not disturbing the natural habitats of Pitawala Pathana. He said most of the tourists behaved in an irresponsible manner because they were unaware of the site’s unique ecosystem.
Dr. Anslem De Silva, Co-Chair of the Amphibian Specialists Group IUCN/SSC Sri Lanka said the micro habitats of these dumbara galpara madiyas can be demarcated to protect them from being disturbed by visitors. He also suggested the creation of new micro habitats for those already destroyed.
This amphibian expert along with his research team had kept some small rocks in the streams of Pitawala Pathana and the following day they discovered Kirthisinghe’s rock frogs hiding under them. Citing this experiment as an example he said micro habitats can be created to provide artificial habitats for these threatened amphibians.
The Kirthisinghe’s rock frog is also unique because it is an evolutionarily distinct species. It is one of the two Sri Lankan amphibians listed under the global conservation initiative called EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) species. This programme www.edgeofexistence.org aims at conserving threatened species that represent a significant amount of unique evolutionary history.
In addition to tourist behaviour, Kirthisinghe’s rock frog is also being threatened by water that has been polluted by chemicals used in tea and cardamom estates in the surrounding Knuckles range.
Published on SundayTimes on 16.10.2011 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/111016/News/nws_19.html
Micro habitat of the Endangered Frog
