location: Sri Lanka

location: Sri Lanka

Social media activity version | Lean version

An elusive deer species clings to survival in Sri Lanka’s south
- The hog deer (Axis porcinus), Sri Lanka’s most threatened deer species, is classified as critically endangered in the country and survives only in fragmented habitats in the island’s southwest.
- A year-long survey recorded 306 adults and 22 fawns, showing a modest increase in their numbers, but an array of threats continues to put pressure on the species’ survival.
- Conservationists warn against major threats including attacks by feral dogs and water monitors, road accidents and habitat loss, while garbage dumping alters predator dynamics, adding a fresh threat.
- Debate continues over whether Sri Lanka’s hog deer is native or introduced, with fossil evidence hinting at an ancient presence but some theories indicating colonial-era introductions.

Sri Lanka monkey survey sparks skepticism & oddball ideas for deterring crop raiders
- In March, an islandwide five-minute rapid visual census conducted in Sri Lanka estimated populations of crop-damaging wildlife at about 6.5 million monkeys, 2.7 million giant squirrels, and 4.7 million peafowl.
- While the accuracy of the survey has been strongly questioned, there is broad agreement on the urgent need for solutions, as these species cause considerable damage to crops.
- Several solutions have been proposed, one of them is to use predatory scents, particularly leopard urine, as a natural repellent to deter monkeys citing successful use of predator scents like coyote and wolf elsewhere.
- This idea has drawn mixed reactions, with some citing practical challenges in implementation, while others recommend further study and testing of the method to address the problem of crop raiders.

Data debunks spike in Sri Lanka’s elephant killings, points at media hype
- With 238 elephant deaths reported between January and end of July this year, including several iconic tuskers that were found dead, there is increasing concerns about possible organized crime network behind the elephant killings in Sri Lanka.
- The country’s environment minister has filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and plans are afoot to deploy the Civil Defence Force to combat wildlife crime and support the severely understaffed Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) to address human-elephant conflict.
- Meanwhile, the government’s attempt to distribute more guns among the farming community has angered environmentalists who warn that these guns would increase elephant deaths.
- While various theories are being suggested by some regarding the recent spike in elephant deaths, including ivory poaching, hunting for meat and organized killings, data analysis by Mongabay shows there’s no significant rise, but instead points to a well-meaning media hype, with far greater coverage than before on elephant deaths.

After 160 years, an old drawing leads scientists to a long-lost Sri Lanka orchid
- After 160 years, scientists in Sri Lanka have rediscovered Vanda thwaitesii, a delicate tropical Asian orchid, by referring to scientific drawings to make the connection.
- Sri Lanka’s rich array of orchids face threats from illegal collection and habitat loss, but climate change may pose an even greater risk by disrupting their growth, flowering and pollination.
- This rediscovery was made possible through citizen science, a common factor in many recent findings, but experts caution that social media can be a double-edged sword, as it may also encourage illegal harvesting.
- Conservationists also caution that this rediscovery does not mean recovery and call for urgent measures to safeguard the island’s fragile floral heritage.

Social media post sparks rediscovery of endemic Sri Lanka rainforest plant
- Classified as “extinct in the wild” in Sri Lanka’s 2012 Red List, the endemic rainforest giant known as Pini- Beraliya (Doona ovalifolia) has been rediscovered in several locations, but the first discovery of the plant was triggered by a Facebook post.
- The species was long known only from a single cultivated specimen found at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya, which served as a living reference during decades without any wild sightings.
- Conservation efforts now include propagation of hundreds of seedlings at the Endane plant nursery in mid-country and the creation of a community-run nursery in Pimbura in southwestern Sri Lanka, where schoolchildren actively water and monitor these plants in their school premises.
- A recovery plan aims to protect all remaining wild trees, expand ex-situ collections and restore suitable riparian habitats with the help of local guardian groups.

Suspected rise in targeted leopard killings worries conservationists in Sri Lanka
After a series of alleged leopard poaching incidents in Sri Lanka, conservationists warn that the big cats are likely being deliberately targeted for their skin, teeth, claws and meat at a higher rate than previously believed, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. “Sri Lanka may not be part of an international trafficking chain for leopard […]
Respite, for now, for bird migration hotspot at heart of Sri Lanka’s wind power dispute
- Amid mounting protests from locals and environmentalists, Sri Lanka’s president has suspended a proposed wind farm in Mannar, in the island’s north for a month, pending a review of ecological concerns.
- Scientists warn additional wind farms in the area could further fragment habitats of the fragile Mannar Island ecosystem, an important stopover point for migratory birds on the Central Asian Flyway.
- The country’s energy minister has referred to Mannar as “stale land,” dismissing its biodiversity value, but environmentalists have countered this with research that shows more than 500 plant and animal species recorded there, including dozens found nowhere else on Earth.
- Activists urge the government to pursue sustainable development that protects Mannar’s globally important ecosystems while expanding clean energy following a balanced development pathway.

As fast-spreading mussel sweeps across Asia, Sri Lanka faces new invasive threat
- The black mussel (Mytella strigata), a fast-spreading mollusk of South American origin was recently discovered in shrimp farms along Sri Lanka’s western coast, closer to Anawilundawa, an important Ramsar wetland in the Indian Ocean island.
- Native to Pacific and Atlantic coasts from Mexico to Argentina, this mussel has turned invasive in the U.S., Southeast Asia and India’s Kerala backwaters, thriving in a wide range of salinities and temperatures.
- In invaded regions, dense colonies foul aquaculture gear, reduce oyster spat settlement, and outcompete native bivalves, threatening both biodiversity and livelihoods.
- Alongside M. strigata, invasive mollusks like the giant African land snail and apple snails are already established, underscoring the need for stricter biosecurity, early detection and rapid response.

Conservationists warn of targeted poaching behind Sri Lanka’s leopard killings
- The recent arrest of suspected poachers with a skinned leopard carcass inside a national park in Sri Lanka has raised alarm over possible targeted poaching for meat or body parts.
- Conservationists warn that leopards may no longer be just accidental victims of snares, but are increasingly being hunted with intent.
- Historical echoes of colonial-era leopard hunting and modern superstitions may be quietly fueling an underground trade, experts say.
- With fewer than 1,000 mature individuals left, every leopard death pushes Sri Lanka’s iconic apex predator closer to extinction.

With nocturnal surveys and awareness building, Sri Lanka steps up to protect its owls
- In Sri Lanka, volunteers and researchers survey owls at night along set routes to mark the International Owl Day that falls on Aug. 4. But what takes more effort is the public educational events to challenge deep-rooted superstitions about owls.
- From the common Indian scops owl (Otus bakkamoena) and brown hawk-owl (Ninox scutulata) to the elusive barn owl (Tyto alba), several owl species persist in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital city despite habitat loss and disturbance.
- In Sri Lankan culture, owls are generally viewed as a bad omen, leading to persecution and eviction from nesting sites, even though species like barn owls provide valuable rodent control, hence being particularly useful in urban settings.
- Practices such as placing hollow coconut trunks in agricultural fields to attract barn owls for natural pest control offer nature-based solutions that could be reintroduced to modern agriculture and beat the stigma around the species.

Sri Lanka plans restoring revoked protection for an important mangrove patch in the island’s North
- In 2024, the Sri Lankan government revoked the protected status of an ecologically important mangrove forest in Vidattaltivu, in the island’s north, to facilitate the development of an aquaculture park.
- Environmental groups challenged the decision in court, calling for reinstatement of its former conservation status, following which the government informed the court of its willingness to restore protection.
- On July 26 this year, to mark World Mangrove Day, Sri Lanka declared several new mangrove areas protected, reinforcing its global recognition as the Commonwealth mangrove “champion.”
- The Indian Ocean island has approximately 15,670 hectares (38,720 acres) of mangroves, with around 60% under formal protection. However, enforcement and effective management remain weak in many areas.

Jayantha Jayewardene, Sri Lanka’s elephant advocate, died July 30, aged 81
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Few men have stood so squarely in the crosshairs of development and conservation in Sri Lanka as Jayantha Jayewardene. A former rugby forward with a spine of steel, he spent decades grappling with a quieter, more consequential struggle: […]
Sri Lanka Supreme Court orders $1 bn payment in X Press Pearl marine disaster
- Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has ordered $1 billion in compensation from the owners and local agents of the MV X-Press Pearl, which sank off Colombo in 2021, causing the worst maritime disaster in the island’s history and a massive marine plastic spill.
- The court held both the vessel’s operators and two former Sri Lankan officials accountable, citing negligence and violations of citizens’ constitutional rights.
- The July 24 ruling calls for the establishment of an independent compensation commission and requires the first installment of damages to be paid by September 2025, with a review hearing scheduled for the same month.
- Environmentalists describe the judgment as a milestone in line with the “polluter pays” principle, offering a potential model for environmental justice across the Global South.

Sri Lanka hit by plastic pollution after cargo ship sinks off Indian coast
Sri Lankan authorities, locals and environmentalists say they’re deeply concerned about the possible impacts on the country’s marine ecosystem and coastal communities from the sinking of a container ship off the southern coast of India in May, Mongabay contributor Malaka Rodrigo reported in June. The Liberia-flagged ship MSC Elsa 3 sank on May 25 about […]
An aging leopard’s suffering sparks ethical debate in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the fate of an aging, injured leopard, well-loved by tourists, has triggered a debate. Wildlife enthusiasts are urging authorities to help the leopard, named Neluma, in Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest protected area. However, wildlife officials and conservationists are against intervening and providing veterinary support, Mongabay contributor Malaka Rodrigo reported in […]
Sri Lanka tusker death sparks euthanasia debate & calls for conservation solutions
- Bhathiya, an iconic Sri Lankan tusker, suffered multiple gunshot wounds that left him immobilized and eventually led to his collapse.
- His prolonged suffering drew media coverage, public outrage and political attention. After weeks of struggle, Bhathiya died in agony.
- This incident has reignited debate on euthanasia and whether it should be considered in cases where veterinary assessments deem recovery unlikely.
- As the nation mourns the loss of this majestic elephant, the tragedy underscores the urgent need for a lasting solution to human-elephant conflict, as the elephant death rate in Sri Lanka, among the worst in the world, continues to rise at an alarming rate.

Sri Lanka’s plant messiah spreads optimism for biodiversity & conservation
- A young Sri Lankan scientist, Himesh Jayasinghe, has rediscovered more than 100 of 177 possibly extinct species in Sri Lanka as well as three of five extinct species and both species previously considered extinct in the wild.
- Jayasinghe up to now has found some 210 species that have never before been reported from Sri Lanka, with about 50 of them already known from India, while a further 20, though named in the historical literature, can now be added to the national floral inventory of Sri Lanka supported by hard evidence.
- These discoveries hint that unexpectedly high numbers of new plant species may await discovery even in well-explored tropical countries such as Sri Lanka and emphasizes that the process of inventorying biodiversity should not be retarded by the demands of formal taxonomy and informal names backed by georeferenced voucher specimens and photographs being sufficient for conservation purposes.
- Many species thought to be extinct may be rediscovered when targeted searches are conducted using new eyes, experts say.

Sri Lanka grants protection to a rare ecosystem
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In a move hailed as a long-overdue conservation victory, Sri Lanka has formally declared Nilgala — a sweeping mosaic of grasslands, forests and sacred sites — as a protected forest reserve, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. Spanning […]
Out-of-range albatross makes a highlight in the revival of seabird watching in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka has recorded over 50 species of seabirds — birds that spend much of their lives at sea — within its territorial waters, including several long-distance migratory birds that travel thousands of kilometers across oceans.
- As observation of seabirds is challenging, only a small group of Sri Lankan birders have focused on this unique group. In the past decade, seabird studies in the island have seen a notable revival, led by enthusiastic young birders.
- Among last year’s remarkable observations is the sighting of a grey-headed albatross off Sri Lanka’s northern coast, marking the first-ever record of the species north of the equator, well beyond its usual Southern Ocean range near Antarctica.
- World Seabird Day, observed every year on July 3, commemorates the tragic extinction of the great auk, marking the last known pair of which was killed on that day in 1844 and highlighting the vulnerability of seabirds and the urgent need for their conservation.

Ancient eco-friendly pilgrimage brings modern threats to Sri Lanka wildnerness
- The centuries-old Pada Yatra is a spiritual pilgrimage on foot that takes devotees through two major national parks in Sri Lanka, originally undertaken by Hindu devotees.
- Over time, it started to attract followers of other faiths, but many now join it as an adventure hike, raising concerns about the erosion of its spiritual essence and environment consciousness.
- Participation in the Pada Yatra has surged, with more than 31,000 pilgrims making the 20-day journey in 2024, and this year, this number was reached within the first seven days, raising serious concerns about increasing numbers and increasing environmental issues.
- Despite waste management efforts, the growing numbers of attendees are contributing to pollution and environmental degradation, like the impacts seen at Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka’s Peak Wilderness, where people leave a trail of environmental destruction.

Predatory snakehead fish poses invasive threat after sighting in Sri Lanka reservoir
- The giant snakehead (Channa micropeltes), a predatory fish native to Southeast Asia, has been found in Sri Lanka’s Deduru Oya reservoir, raising concerns over the invasive species’ potential impact on native freshwater biodiversity and inland fisheries.
- With the ability to grow up to a meter (3 feet) in length, the giant snakehead is larger and more aggressive than Sri Lanka’s largest native snakehead species, posing a threat of outcompeting them and disrupting local aquatic ecosystems.
- Introduced through the aquarium trade, these snakeheads have already become invasive in countries such as the United States and Malaysia, triggering ecological crises that have led to bans, public awareness campaigns, and targeted removal programs.
- With more than 30 invasive fish species now established in Sri Lanka’s waterways, experts warn that weak enforcement and poor regulation over exotic fish imports and aquaculture practices are increasing the risk of further biological invasions.

As iconic wild leopard ages in Sri Lanka, debate about human intervention ensues
- For more than a decade, a male leopard named Neluma has maintained dominance over Sri Lanka’s Wilpattu National Park, his majestic demeaner and tolerance for human presence making him a firm favorite among wildlife enthusiasts.
- With a hernia and recent injuries caused during hunting, the ageing cat makes calls for help, but naturalists say that nature should take its course while veterinarians record difficulties in treating him.
- In a recent incident, a tiger killed a wildlife ranger at the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. This tiger’s famous mother, Arrowhead, was fed by forest officials during her final days, which naturalists caution against as such interventions could teach young cubs to associate people with food.
- Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park has adopted a practice of providing water to animals during intense periods of drought, but conservationists say that such interventions, too, may have long-term repercussions despite the act being well-intended.

An overlooked biocultural landscape in Sri Lanka receives overdue protection
- Sri Lanka has declared the Nilgala wilderness, a unique landscape harboring the island’s largest savanna ecosystem interwoven with a mosaic of unique habitats, as a national forest reserve.
- Despite being home to numerous endemic and range-restricted species found nowhere else on the island, Nilgala had long been an overlooked conservation priority, facing continuous environmental threats.
- The area is also the ancestral homeland of Sri Lanka’s Indigenous Vedda community and is revered as an ancient herbal sanctuary, deeply rooted in cultural and historical traditions.
- As a defiant act of opposition to various past attempts to open Nilgala for large-scale agricultural development, environmentalists once staged a unique ritual of ordaining 1,000 trees within the Nilgala area at a religious ceremony to protect the forest from destruction.

Sri Lanka’s Kumana National Park emerges as a leopard hotspot
Sri Lanka’s lesser-known Kumana National Park, on the country’s southeastern coast, has emerged as a leopard stronghold, according to a recent study, contributor Malaka Rodrigo reports for Mongabay. Using camera traps and statistical models, researchers from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and the Department of Wildlife Conservation estimated there’s a leopard density of around 41 […]
Twin ship disasters in India threaten widespread pollution on Sri Lankan coasts
- The Liberia-flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3, carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo, along with almost 85 metric tons of diesel and 367 metric tons of furnace oil, sank off of Kerala, in southern India, on May 25.
- Just 10 days after the sinking of MSC ELSA 3, Sri Lanka’s northern coast recorded significant plastic pollution with the costal belt being contaminated with bags full of plastic nurdles, making the island nation brace for more pollution as strong monsoonal winds contribute to increased pollution.
- The incident has revived painful memories of 2021 when Sri Lanka experienced its worst maritime disaster, the X-Press Pearl incident, which caused massive coastal pollution on the island’s western coast and parts of the south and northwest, with the island nation still fighting for adequate compensation.
- Meanwhile, another ship, MV Wan Hai 503, carrying 2,128 metric tons of fuel and hazardous cargo, also caught fire on June 7, off the south Indian coast of Kerala, which is still ablaze and is expected to cause further pollution along Sri Lanka’s northern coast.

Mounting risks due to climate change threaten Sri Lanka’s endemic species
- Sri Lanka’s isolation during past glacial cycles resulted in the evolution of unique species, but ongoing human-induced climate change now poses a major threat to their survival.
- Using species distribution models, researchers have discovered that montane amphibians and reptiles that are particularly restricted to narrow ecological niches with limited mobility are particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures.
- Species with direct development, like many Pseudophilautus frogs, which bypass the tadpole stage, are especially sensitive to microclimate changes.
- Of the 34 amphibian species confirmed extinct worldwide, 21 were endemic to Sri Lanka, underscoring the island’s fragility and the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts.

After 15 years, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court blocks road upgrade in national park
- In a landmark judgment, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court recently ended a 15-year legal battle over plans to upgrade a road through Wilpattu National Park, making conservationists heave a sigh of relief.
- The court ruling follows an election pledge by Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the presidential race to reopen the road, which drew sharp criticism from environmentalists.
- The proposed road would have reduced travel time but fragmented critical habitats besides increasing the threat of roadkill due to speeding vehicles.
- The ruling highlights the judiciary’s crucial role in upholding environmental protections, especially when political leaders push development agendas that threaten ecologically sensitive areas.

Sri Lanka’s golden jackals reveal importance of urban wetlands for wildlife
- Recent sightings of golden jackals (Canis aureus naria) in Sri Lanka’s capital city underscore the significance of urban wetlands as sanctuaries for wildlife amid rapid urbanization.
- The jackals in Sri Lanka belong to a distinct subspecies, Canis aureus naria, have recorded a sharp population decline due to multiple reasons ranging from habitat loss to roadkills and diseases transmitted by stray dogs.
- In the global context, golden jackals are expanding their range into Northern Europe, driven by many factors including climate and landscape changes.
- With growing global conservation interest, initiatives like World Jackal Day, observed on April 19, aim to raise awareness and foster scientific collaboration for the species’ protection.

A migrating flycatcher returning to the same Sri Lankan garden sparks interest in birders
- An Asian paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) with distinctive markings on its head that has returned to the same home garden in Colombo for four consecutive migratory seasons has sparked interest among bird enthusiasts in Sri Lanka.
- Many birds, especially migratory species, possess a remarkable ability to return to the same location year after year, sometimes to the exact tree or nest, which is a behavior known as site tenacity or site fidelity.
- World Migratory Bird Day is traditionally observed on the first Saturdays of May and October, aligning with bird migrations in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively.
- A online bird observation platform, eBird, is gaining popularity in Sri Lanka with over 4,000 birders listed with the platform, strengthening the role of citizen science in tracking bird movements.

Kumana, a historic national park in eastern Sri Lanka, emerges as leopard stronghold
- A new study reports a notably high density of Sri Lankan leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya) in eastern Sri Lanka’s Kumana National Park, highlighting the park as a significant habitat for the leopards.
- Using camera traps, the study recorded more than 90 leopard encounters, including 34 identified individual leopards, captured on film across a 16-month survey period.
- Since 2017, a citizen science program also has recorded 80 individual leopards in Kumana, using a naming system to identify each individual.
- Kumana, famed for its wetland birdlife, is now emerging as a key leopard habitat, offering potential for leopard tourism and easing visitor pressure in congested parks like Yala in the island’s south.

‘Snow-white’ monkeys of Sri Lanka draw in tourists
For a small village near the Sinharaja Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka, “snow-white monkeys” have become a major tourist attraction, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. These white monkeys are a color variant of the endangered purple-faced langur (Semnopithecus vetulus), also known as the purple-faced leaf monkey, found only in Sri Lanka. Purple-faced langurs typically […]
Indian trawlers leave Sri Lankan small-scale fishers a ravaged, bereft sea
- Bottom trawlers from India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu have been encroaching Sri Lanka’s northern waters for years, carrying out destructive fishing practices that have caused serious depletion of fish stocks and damaged marine habitats.
- Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s local small-scale fishers continue to struggle due to reduced catches, destruction of their fishing nets and financial loss while being forced to fish in limited nearshore areas or abandon fishing temporarily to avoid conflict with the trawlers.
- In this political bone of contention, Tamil Nadu has been demanding reclamation of Katchatheevu — an uninhabited island between India and Sri Lanka — to gain unrestricted fishing rights, and the past bilateral promises to phase out bottom trawling have gone unfulfilled.
- Sri Lanka banned bottom trawling in 2017 and now needs to take specific actions to prevent illegal bottom trawling in its northern waters to avoid the risk of fisheries there from collapsing.

Sri Lanka’s iconic tuskers ‘falling like dominoes,’ conservationists warn
“The Gathering” in Sri Lanka’s Minneriya National Park is said to be among the world’s most spectacular wildlife phenomena. Every year, hundreds of elephants gather on a dry lakebed in the park that becomes fertile grazing land during the months of June through August. Tuskers, or male elephants with prominent tusks, are one of the […]
Award-winning film highlights lasting damage from X-Press Pearl disaster in Sri Lanka
- “This Is Not a Pearl,” a short film by Sri Lankan filmmaker Tharindu Ramanayaka, uses a poetic narrative of a pearl oyster mistaking toxic plastic pellets, or nurdles, for her pearl to symbolize the environmental devastation caused by the 2021 MV X-Press Pearl disaster.
- The sinking of the MV X-Press Pearl off Sri Lanka’s coast released 1,680 metric tons of plastic nurdles, marking the world’s largest nurdle spill and triggering long-term damage to marine ecosystems.
- Scientific studies show that toxic chemicals from the spill continue to harm marine life, especially zooplankton like sea urchin larvae and copepods, threatening the broader ocean food web.
- Sri Lanka’s legal efforts for compensation, including cases in both Singapore, where the ship’s operator is based, and the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, remain unresolved; meanwhile, nurdles continue to wash ashore, requiring continuous cleanup efforts nearly four years later.

Mysterious sloth bear deaths raise alarm at Sri Lanka’s largest national park
- Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest and a prime location for year-round sloth bear sightings, has sparked concern after the sudden deaths of three sloth bears (Melursus ursinus inornatus) occurred within a span of a few weeks.
- As sloth bears like to feed on carrion, there are often concerns about these animals contracting swine flu, which is generally present in wild boar populations due to consumption of carcasses, posing a risk of zoonotic transmission.
- Veterinary surgeons are awaiting laboratory analysis of the recently dead bear’s organ samples to finalize the autopsy report, but they indicate that tick fever is a likely cause of death due to heavy tick infestation.
- The sloth bear is an elusive and iconic species, recognized as a key wildlife attraction and a member of Sri Lanka’s “Big Five” wildlife species, alongside the elephant and leopard, making its conservation essential to the country’s nature-based tourism industry.

A century later, a rare mushroom with a curious shape emerges in Sri Lanka
- Documented just once in 1919 at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sri Lanka, an elusive mushroom has resurfaced more than a hundred years later, causing excitement among mycologists and nature lovers alike.
- The fungus is known for its phallic shape and foul-smelling spore mass, which attracts insects for spore dispersal — a unique strategy among fungi, which otherwise mostly use wind to disperse the spores.
- After the publication of a research paper, at least five separate observations from different parts of the country were reported highlighting that the mushroom may survive in many places.
- Mycologists call for greater attention to fungi in biodiversity research and conservation, as many species may remain hidden — or risk disappearing unnoticed.

Climate change spikes wildfire risk in Sri Lanka
- Almost all forest fire in Sri Lanka is human-caused; the two main forest fire seasons are February to March and July to August.
- Annually, 100-2,500 hectares (247-6,178 acres) of forest resources are damaged due to forest fires in Sri Lanka, and in the past few years, the damage to forest resources by fire has increased and is likely to continue increasing with global warming.
- Usually, wildfires are mainly occurring in forest plantations or grasslands where they do not spread to dense forest, but as of late, fires have begun to reach forest areas.
- Some ecosystems like savanna need fire to sustain them, as seeds in some of the trees need fire to crack their outer layer in order to germinate. But in areas with invasive guinea grass, which burns longer and hotter, large trees are also observed dying.

The vanishing trail of Sri Lanka’s iconic tuskers calls for urgent action
- Among Asian elephants, only a fraction of males bear tusks, and Sri Lanka holds the lowest percentage, with just 7% of its total elephant population being tuskers.
- Tuskers are culturally significant and attract tourists to Sri Lanka, with each wild tusker named after an ancient king.
- However, one by one, these iconic giants are falling victim not only to unmitigated human-elephant conflict, but also to opportunistic, targeted poaching.
- A study has estimated the value of a single elephant in Minneriya to be around 10 million Sri Lankan rupees ($40,000), based on the revenue generated through nature-based tourism, while rare tuskers are valued at a much higher rate.

Sri Lanka communities left gasping for climate mitigation support
- Despite being highly vulnerable to climate risk, Sri Lanka is slow to tap into climate funding due to a range of issues including inadequate data systems, institutional weaknesses and limited capacity to design and implement viable projects.
- Sri Lanka’s disaster management units require significant funding to initiate mitigation measures amid increasing climate change impacts, where the most vulnerable populations bear the brunt of climate impacts.
- The island’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are still to be submitted, adding to delays in pursuing climate finance opportunities for Sri Lanka.
- With many people vulnerable to climate change impacts and lacking adaptive capacity, building resilience calls for much higher financial investments in climate adaptation.

In a land where monkeys are seen as pests, Sri Lanka’s white langurs are winning hearts
- A rare population of leucistic, or partially white, purple-faced langurs near Sri Lanka’s Sinharaja Forest Reserve has attracted ecotourism interest, even as monkeys in general are perceived by farmers as crop-raiding pests.
- Unlike albinism, leucism causes a partial loss of pigmentation, and researchers have documented around 30 white langurs in the area.
- The unique langurs have helped transform the village of Lankagama into an ecotourism hub, benefiting the local community and conservation efforts.
- The presence of white monkeys across Sri Lanka, including rare cases of albino primates, highlights the island’s rich biodiversity and the need for further research and protection.

Sri Lanka calls for five-minute surveys to identify crop-raiding animals
- Sri Lanka’s agriculture suffers significant losses due to crop-raiding wildlife, especially elephants, monkeys, wild boars, giant squirrels, porcupines, and peafowls.
- An island-wide, citizen-assisted count of wild animals on agriculture land and in home gardens is planned for Mar. 15, lasting five minutes starting 8 a.m.
- Crop-raiding wild animals remain a significant challenge in Sri Lanka as cultivations suffer but the problem is exacerbated by limited scientific data, prohibitive costs and public opposition to certain solutions like culling.
- The forthcoming survey excludes major nocturnal raiders such as elephants, wild boars, and porcupines, raising questions on the effectiveness of the exercise, while some consider it a step in the right direction.

As Sri Lanka’s rail tracks continue to claim elephant lives, experts suggest solutions
- In Sri Lanka, wild elephants are often killed in train collision accidents along certain railway stretches. A recent accident killed seven elephants, highlighting the enormity of this issue.
- While train-related elephant deaths account for only about 5% of total fatalities, these deaths are mostly preventable and evoke both public attention and anger.
- Various solutions — like reducing the speed of trains in identified collision hotspots, considered the most effective response — have been proposed over the years, but haven’t been successfully implemented.
- Researchers suggest construction of underpasses at collision hotspots, but these plans haven’t gone through due to financial constraints.

India’s Adani withdraws from controversial Sri Lanka wind power project
- A proposed wind power project by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in the north of Sri Lanka, which ran into strong opposition from environmentalists due to multiple potential ecological impacts, particularly on migratory bird species, has come to halt.
- Five lawsuits were filed against the company by local environmental organizations due to the project’s alleged environmental consequences as well as the contract being awarded without competitive bidding.
- Amid growing controversy, Adani Green Energy Ltd. withdrew from the proposed project on Feb. 12 claiming “financial nonviability” weeks after the new Sri Lankan government sought to renegotiate the agreement and formed a committee to review and renegotiate the power purchase rate.
- Mannar, a district rich in wildlife and known for its picturesque quality, is currently experiencing a surge in nature-based tourism, particularly due to its rich birdlife.

Study highlights effects of habitat fragmentation on Sri Lankan specialist birds
- A research study focusing on the endemic brown-capped babbler (Pellorneum fuscocapillus) and Tickell’s blue flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae) shows that forest specialist birds fail to return to disturbed lands, and even forest generalists tend to avoid these areas, causing delays in their return.
- Researchers employed a method called “experimental translocation” to understand how species interact with new environments by releasing the birds at various distances in different habitats, monitoring whether the birds returned to their original locations.
- A global review by the same researchers identifies 32 instances in which the experimental translocation method was used to study birds worldwide. The Sri Lankan experiment is the first of its kind in South Asia.
- The research highlights that even highly mobile creatures like birds are affected by forest fragmentation, underscoring that the impact can be even worse for less mobile creatures.

Sunken ships in Sri Lanka’s Colombo attract more fish than coral reefs
- Shipwrecks host more diverse fish assemblages compared with natural coral reefs off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka’s commercial capital.
- Research shows that shipwrecks provide more complex structures with various microhabitats, attracting fish and offering both food and safety, making them more appealing than coral reefs.
- Scientists used the diver operated video recording method, in which a diver carries a video camera along a predefined transect, for allowing species identification and quantification later in the laboratory.
- Sri Lankan waters contain 115 known shipwrecks, with the oldest being the Godawaya wreck, dating back to the second century BCE, and they play a significant role in dive tourism.

Seeking solutions in Indigenous knowledge: Interview with the Maldives’ Mohamed Nasheed
- In the next 50 years, 80% of the Maldives may become uninhabitable, creating human security and livelihood issues of epic proportions for its nearly 400,000 population.
- The rise in ocean temperatures and acidification are leaving severe impacts on coral reefs, affecting both tourism and fisheries in the Maldives and also damaging the country’s critical first line of natural defense.
- Before a 1998 El Niño bleaching event, the archipelago’s coral reefs remained in good condition, but it killed a significant portion of the fragile ecosystem, which continues to be impacted by climate change.
- Among the solutions proposed are the prosperity plans under the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) to help countries overcome debt traps and attract investments through debt for environmental swaps.

Relief in Sri Lanka as key threat to nonprotected forests is repealed
- A 2020 government decree that transferred administrative control of nonprotected forests in Sri Lanka to local governments has been formally revoked by the country’s new government.
- The move follows its overturning by the country’s Supreme Court, where environmental activists argued it could allow the release of these forests for development projects without proper environmental assessments.
- Known as “other state forests” (OSFs) or “residual forests,” they harbor high levels of biodiversity and serve as crucial connectivity or buffer zones that help reduce human-wildlife conflict.
- They could also play a key role in the government’s commitment to the 30×30 initiative of protecting 30% of land and sea area by 2030.

In Sri Lanka, election day is time for firecrackers — to ward off elephants
- Sri Lankans head to the polls on Sept. 21 for the country’s first presidential election since public protests forced the island nation’s last elected leader from office in 2022.
- But more than 450 of the 13,100 polling stations nationwide are located close to elephant habitat, including areas with a history of human-elephant conflict.
- Sri Lanka has one of the highest incidences of human-elephant conflict in the world, as a growing human population encroaches into dwindling elephant habitat.
- The election commission is working with wildlife authorities to ensure voters can go out and cast their ballot in safety, including encouraging early-morning turnout when the animals aren’t actively roaming about yet.

Climate change could threaten newly described ‘shiny’ North American bees
- A recent study examining North American bee species belonging to the Lasioglossum genus has led to the describing of three previously unknown bee species from specimens collected from California, Arizona and Baja California.
- Due to their distinct metallic sheen, one was designated as Lasioglossum (Sphecodogastra) iridescens, while another was named Lasioglossum (Sphecodogastra) dilisena, derived from Sinhala, the majority-spoken language in Sri Lanka, with the word dilisena translating to “shining.”
- The third species is named Lasioglossum (Sphecodogastra) silveirai as a tribute to the late Fernando Silveira of the Federal University of Minas Gerais for his significant contribution to bee taxonomy.
- The newly described species are predominantly found in high-elevation areas in California, where climate change poses a significant threat, so scientists emphasize the importance of further research on their ecology and distribution.

Sri Lanka completes first elephant census since 2011 amid uncertainty
- Sri Lanka recently carried out a three-day elephant survey by counting the animals as they visited watering holes across the country.
- It’s the first such survey carried out since 2011, when Sri Lanka’s minimum elephant population was estimated at 5,879.
- In the intervening period, a total of 4,262 elephants have died, many of them in conflicts with humans, so it won’t be clear until the results are published in a month’s time whether the population trend is up or down.
- Despite potential inaccuracies in the total count, the survey is expected to provide essential insights, such as the male-to-female ratio and the number of calves, which are key indicators of the health of Sri Lanka’s Asian elephant population.

Sri Lanka’s blue carbon ecosystems at risk as government seeks way out of economic crisis
- Vidattaltivu Nature Reserve in northern Sri Lanka is an important coastal ecosystem that contains all the main blue carbon habitats, from mangroves to seagrass meadows to salt marshes and tidal flats.
- Despite this, the government recently ordered the removal of protection for a section of the reserve, which observers say is meant to free up land for the development of shrimp farms and similar economic activity.
- Local environmentalists have challenged this move in court, winning a temporary halt to its implementation as they make the case that any short-term economic gain would be dwarfed by the losses arising from destruction of the ecosystem and the attendant carbon emissions.
- While Sri Lanka has gained an international reputation for championing the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems, observers say they fear the country’s ongoing economic crisis may compel the government to release more protected areas for economic activity at the expense of nature.

Foreign ship caught illegally fishing endangered sharks off Madagascar
A fishing vessel from Sri Lanka, sailing under a Kenyan flag, was recently seized and impounded for illegally fishing endangered sharks in the Mozambique Channel, off the coast of Madagascar. That’s according to a press release from environmental groups Alliance Voahary Gasy (AVG), based in Madagascar, and Local Ocean Conservation (LOC), in Kenya. The ship, […]
Death and displacement as fatal storms hit Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka recorded 24 deaths in the first 10 days of June as most of the country of 20 million grappled with an extreme start to the island’s main monsoon season. Data from Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Center showed 206,000 people were affected by flooding and landslides across the country’s 25 districts. Most local authorities […]
Saving Asia’s fishing cat means protecting threatened wetland habitat
- Fishing cats are uniquely adapted to life in wetlands, possessing a double-layered coat that serves as a water barrier and insulation, partially webbed feet, ears that plug when submerged, and a curious call reminiscent of a duck.
- Spread across Asia, this small wild cat species faces myriad threats, including habitat loss, hunting and retaliatory killings, road kill, and more. Considered vulnerable across its range, the felid is also elusive and underresearched, with many knowledge gaps about its distribution and ecology.
- Conservationists are working across its range to raise the profile of this wildcat, reduce threats and understand the species. Linking its protection to equally threatened wetlands is vital, they say. Initiatives such as the Fishing Cat Project in India have achieved success in making this cat the face of these habitats.
- Multiple conservation and research projects operate in Asia under the banner of the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance, a cooperative model that provides funding lifelines and enables international collaboration to protect this small cat.

Newly identified shorebird species takes its name from Hanuman, a mythical Hindu ape god
- The Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrines) is a widespread shorebird and a constant winter visitor to Sri Lanka and neighboring India, yet a population chooses to remain year-round in Sri Lanka and southern India.
- This population has physical characteristics different from the migratory Kentish plovers, hence it has been identified as a subspecies, known as C. a. seebohmi. As far back in 1887, British ornithologist Henry Seebohm suggested they could possibly be a distinct species.
- A recent study of genetic analysis has established this breeding population of plovers found in Sri Lanka to be different from the migratory Kentish plovers; the new species’ evolution started about 1.19 million years ago after the population separated from its ancestors.
- The new species is named Hanuman plover (Charadrius seebohmi) named after the Hindu mythical ape god Hanuman revered in the Sanskrit epic Ramayana who supposedly built a bridge linking Sri Lanka and India, incidentally where the first specimen of this bird was collected.

As Sri Lanka floods swell with climate change, so does human-crocodile conflict
- Sri Lanka is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with long drought spells, receiving intense rain during a shorter period with a marked increase in flood events.
- During flooding, crocodiles inhabiting rivers tend to reach land and move closer to human settlements, increasing the risk of encounters with people.
- The Nilwala River flows through southern Sri Lanka and recent flood events have increased croc encounters with humans in the Matara district and escalated threats to human safety, resulting in disaster management responses.
- During recent flooding events, no serious incidents linked to crocodiles were reported, but wildlife officials had to chase crocs away from riverbanks, highlighting the need for an immediate and durable solution for the human-crocodile conflict around the Nilwala River area.

Photos: Top species discoveries from 2023
- Scientists described a slew of new species this past year, including an electric blue tarantula, two pygmy squid, a silent frog, and some thumb-sized chameleons.
- Experts estimate less than 20% of Earth’s species have been documented by Western science.
- Although a species may be new to science, it may already be well known to local and Indigenous people and have a common name.
- Many new species of plants, fungi, and animals are assessed as Vulnerable or Critically Endangered with extinction as soon as they are found, and many species may go extinct before they are named, experts say.

Iconic tusker’s plight shows challenges in managing Sri Lanka’s wild elephants
- When an iconic Sri Lankan elephant was recently injured in the leg by a trap gun, the incident received wide attention and criticism over the island’s poor handling of wild elephants.
- Agbo is one of Sri Lanka’s largest elephants, and since June, a team of wildlife veterinary surgeons and support staff have been treating the tusker.
- With months among humans, Agbo started showing signs of habituation, losing his fear or mistrust of people and developing a taste for the food provided during treatment.
- From January to late November, Sri Lanka has lost 440 elephants, with gunshot injuries being the main cause for fatalities.

Amid socioeconomic slump, new sugar cane varieties offer hope in Sri Lanka
- After 20 years of research, the Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI) of Sri Lanka has introduced four new varieties with improved sugar recovery percentages, cane yield and disease resistance.
- An interactive mobile app called Uksaviya has been introduced to assist sugar cane farmers in disease identification, cultivation advice and access to the latest knowledge.
- An institutional business framework too has been developed linking researchers and industry to improve collaboration, precision, and commercialization of cutting-edge research.
- With Sri Lanka’s agriculture hit by multiple issues, SRI’s efforts offer some hope.

In a world of climate risks, Sri Lanka is finding ways to adapt
- In a landscape of interconnected and mutually compounding risks, climate change has emerged as a key risk factor for Sri Lanka, specifically for vulnerable sectors and groups.
- Risk management frameworks need to acknowledge and incorporate these emerging risks. While Sri Lanka already has risk management mechanisms and instruments in place, there are opportunities to scale up these mechanisms, close existing gaps and mobilize additional means of implementation.
- Sri Lanka is in the process of strengthening its national environment policy related to climate change, including through global and international processes, which could remove constraints and help enhance risk management in the country.
- Key areas for improving and future-proofing Sri Lanka’s risk management framework include awareness creation, education, and the wider enabling environment; multi-stakeholder collaboration and decision-making processes; leveraging new and innovative risk management instruments; and connecting the national to the international level, such as the U.N. climate change convention negotiations or the Global Shield initiative.

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