Today is Avurudu but have you heard the messenger of the New Year, the koha? �The song of the koha, or the Asian Koel, is a special part of the Avurudu season, like the Western cuckoo is termed the first harbinger of Spring. But do we hear the koha’s melodious song as frequently as in the past or is it ...
Crocodile, tortoise and pangolins were being cooked in numbers at a restaurant in Hambantota and served up to Chinese workers at Hambantota Port who had flocked to the eatery to munch on the protected fauna they viewed as delicacies. Some of the illicit meat that was found during the raid Local residents yesterday said the Hambantota restaurant had attracted crowds ...
By Malaka Rodrigo. Conservationists have called for the protection of pangolins, a type of ant-eater known as “kaballawa” or “eya” after it was named the animal at the highest risk in the National Red List of Threatened Fauna and Flora’s “Near-Threatened” category.�Pangolins are found throughout Sri Lanka and used to be seen living close to human habitation but poaching and ...
By Malaka Rodrigo. A tarantula almost as big as a dinner plate has been discovered in northern Sri Lanka by a team of researchers who named it after a keen police officer who helped track down live specimens of the giant spider. �The researchers fortuitously happened to be in Mankulam, conducting an island-wide tarantula survey, when a local villager gave ...
Sri Lanka’s fame as a global amphibian hotspot got a further boost last week with the discovery of eight new amphibian species. This discovery, takes the number of amphibians found in Sri Lanka to 119 with 103 being found only in this country and was published in the prestigious ‘Journal of Threatened Taxa’. The new species possess unique characteristics that ...
Have you realized 5 international days that are having some Environmental Importance were fallen on last week..?? Yes, 23rd.March: Earth Hour & World Meteorological Day, 22nd. March: World Water Day, 21st March: World Forest Day and 20th March: World Sparrows Day were those special days celebrated last week. On Saturday 23rd of March two environmentally important days Earth Hourand the ...
Today, 21st March, is the International Day of Forests. This date was agreed by the UN General Assembly in November last year so that every year there would be one day set aside to “celebrate and raise awareness” of forests. Forest is a valuable Ecosystem (c) Greenpeace Sri Lanka is considered as a global Biodiversity Hotspot and the diversity of ...
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is indeed a special bird that was common decades ago. They were considered a good-will bird, so boxes, pots with holes were kept inviting them to nest near our houses. Sparrows were a common scene in most the public places like markets or railway stations. But this bird once commonly recorded started to disappear without our ...
Sri Lanka’s second International Airport at Mattala/Hambanthota opens today. The airport has been shifted from Weerawila to Mattala due to protests by farmers and environmentalists. But the new location is further into the heart of Elephant Territory, alleges Environmentalist. The Researchers has radio-collared elephants from selected herds roaming in the area and the satellite based data shows the kind of ...
Malaka Rodrigo �reporting �from Bangkok – Sri Lanka maintained total silence on how it voted as an important proposal to protect sharks and manta ray species was passed earlier this week at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) of Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora (CITES) in Bangkok. Activists canvassing for the shark ...
Suspect traffickers arrested, stock seized in Lanka vital as probe continues� Malaka Rodrigo reporting from Bangkok The poaching of elephants for tusks was another issue discussed at the many side events held parallel to the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) at the Convention of International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The 16th Conference of Parties ...
“We need better intelligence and international corporation to curb Wildlife Crime” said the law enforcement officers participating the CITES-ADB Symposium on Combating Wildlife Crime. Being the last day, the participants were teamed into different groups for Breakout sessions on selected themes. There were 3 Tracks on Technical Training on Special Investigative Techniques, Interactive Discussions on Wildlife Law, Policy and Governance, including barriers to Convictions and ...
The second day of the “Symposium on Combating Wildlife Crime” as a side event to CITES COP16 was started at Queen Sirikit Convention Centre at Bangkok on 11.03.2013. The law enforcement officers and other involved parties in addressing Wildlife Crime have shared their experiences and discussed on ‘how to tackle the ever increasing issue of Wildlife Crime’. Everyone agreed that ...
“The Symposium on Combating Wildlife Crime” has been organized as a side event to the 16th meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. This is jointly organized by CITES Secretariat and Asian Development Bank (ADB) and participated by law enforcement officers from different parts of the world. Today (10.03.2013) was the Day 1 of the event that is also ...
As the triennial meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora takes place in Bangkok, Malaka Rodrigo stresses on the need to save those species which are fast becoming a rarity in our waters A crucial proposal on protecting sharks and manta ray species has stirred debates and discussions ahead of a vote ...
Forest officials and experts have expressed serious concern over illegal and unchecked harvesting of weni wel, Sri Lanka’s age-old multi-cure herb, by racketeers and profiteers driven by the high demand for it. �Recently, forest officers in Thawalama arrested four people who were transporting without a permit some 700 kg of weni wel. Thawalama forest officer Sunil Kaluthotage said the suspects ...
The 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) of CITES starts today. This meeting will be particularly important for Sri Lanka as there are few proposal for enlisting Manta Ray (Maduwa in Sinhala) and Sharks in CITES Appendix II which will then need a permit system, if the country needs to export parts of these animals. The Gill Rakers of Manta Ray ...
Overfishing threatens the magnificent and prized ‘Ali Maduwa’, writes Malaka Rodrigo� A giant “maduwa”, or manta ray, was netted last week by fisherman in Welipatanwila, Ambalanthota, on the South coast. The ocean creature was pregnant and weighed 1,500 kilograms. A week earlier, another manta ray was caught by fishermen in Akkaraipattu, on the East coast. Both sea creatures have been ...
The country’s rich biodiversity attracting a new kind of overseas visitor, writes Malaka Rodrigo� In the space of a week, two attempts by overseas visitors to smuggle out local flora and fauna were foiled. A German national and four Russians were apprehended for collecting indigenous wild plants and animals without a permit. Environmentalists say Sri Lanka’s rich and unique biodiversity ...
The tracker dog that traced criminals in over 100 cases solving many recent crimes died recently – by Malaka Rodrigo Kotakethana in Kahawatte could probably be considered the most mysterious crime scene in Sri Lanka -– the place where a number of innocent women have lost their lives. When the second double murder took place, the village reeled in shock ...
