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by Tharika Goonathilake

The Wildlife Department will commence a series of large mammal studies and their habitat patterns to document a comprehensive mammal survey in Sri Lanka's National Parks early next year.

The first batch of field staff has already undergone training in the technical aspects of surveying under the program, aimed at assisting and developing conservation and management strategies for the country's five National Parks.

The training sessions were conducted at the Giritale Training Institute by one of Sri Lanka's leading mammal and elephant experts, Prof. Charles Santhiapillai.

"The new training and survey sessions are part of a series of programs under the purview of the Wildlife Department's Rs 34 million Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded Protected Area and Wildlife Conservation Project," the Project's Director Jayantha Jayawardene told the `Daily News' yesterday.

The survey will help identify, study and document the mammals in the parks, provide a vital base to develop strategies in terms of habitat patterns and migratory routes as well make available more in-depth information to visitors.

The sessions will be expanded to cover trackers and guides as well to ensure that all staff are equipped with the knowledge necessary to help in conservation efforts.

The ADB project, is a massive management and conservation project covering Sri Lanka's five National Parks and two protected sites under a comprehensive management program.

It comprises all aspects of park management including training, infrastructure development, habitat enrichment, invasive flora and fauna control strategies and visitor impact and monitoring.

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