Month: March 2016

Seven animals you have to see in the Pearl of the Indian Ocean

Seven animals you have to see in the Pearl of the Indian Ocean

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The Sri Lanka department of Wildlife Conservation recently published a list of the seven most iconic wild animals in the island as a way of promoting tourism and the conservation of all species in and outside this list.

Sri Lanka is somewhat of an outlier when it comes to biodiversity. Experts have been studying the biodiversity of this small island since the early 20th century, and all with good reason. The number of animal species in the island is said to be five times as much as it is supposed to be in an island of its size, and the number of endemic species in the country is amazing. From endemic birds to endemic primates, Sri Lanka has them all. The wonder of Sri Lanka – being such a small island – is that you don’t have to travel far to see any of them. Read more →

Lankan Leopard in the spotlight

Lankan Leopard in the spotlight

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The Sri Lankan leopard, or panthera pardus kotiya as it is scientifically known, is what is known as an apex predator – meaning it has no natural enemies that prey on it, for food or for sport. For thousands of years, this majestic carnivore has been sitting comfortably on top of the local food chain with no real challengers to the throne, with its kin spread over a significant portion of the island. That is, until that lethal bipedal usurper Homo sapiens started to get in its way.

Founders of the Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (WWCT) Leopard Project Dr. Andrew Kittle and Anjali Watson who have been carrying out exhaustive research into Sri Lanka’s leopard population for the past 15 years on Thursday presented their findings in a public presentation titled ‘The Sri Lankan Leopard – Chipping away at the truth,’ where they were able to shed some light on the many unanswered questions about the country’s only big cat that also happens to be an endangered, endemic sub-species that plays an integral role in the effective functioning of the island’s diverse ecosystems. Read more →

Unidentified Animal found near Sinharaja Forest

Unidentified Animal found near Sinharaja Forest

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Carcass of an unidentified mammal species has been recovered from Panapola- Kosgulana area near Sinharaja Forest Reserve. As per the information provided by a school principal of the area on the 28th February 2016 evening, wildlife officers attached to the Sinharaja Range have taken over the carcass of this mammal & brought it to the Elephant Transit Home at Uda Walawe for further investigations. Presently the carcass is kept at ETH under deep freezing conditions.

According to the veterinarian of the ETH the animal is 3.3 kg in weight and its length is 60cm.  Read more →