Lanka’s wealth of wildlife in book form
The Diversity of Sri Lankan Wildlife
Author: Jayantha Jayewardene
Even though Sri Lanka is a small
island, the diversity of its wildlife is significantly important both in
a regional and global scale. Sri Lanka has the highest species density
(number of species present per 10,000 sq. km) of flowering plants,
amphibians, reptiles and mammals in the Asian region.
Furthermore, the wet zone of Sri Lanka is declared as one of the
‘biodiversity hotspots’ of the world. Different people interpret
wildlife in many different ways. For most people wildlife means large
charismatic species such as elephants, leopards and sloth bear.
However, we must bear in mind that wildlife transcends beyond these
large charismatic species and encompasses all undomesticated animal and
uncultivated plant species. Perhaps this misconception stems from the
fact that most people are unaware of the wealth of wildlife found in Sri
Lanka. Therefore, I feel that ‘The diversity of Sri Lankan Wildlife’ by
Jayantha Jayewardene is a timely addition to the steadily growing
literature on Sri Lanka’s biodiversity.
 Jayantha himself has captured the very essence of this book as he
states in the prologue of this book “It is no way comprehensive and does
not pretend to be so, It is only an ‘aperitif’ if you may, of the whole
‘buffet’ of wildlife, in its different forms, spread across the country.
“The dessert is the spectrum of knowledge that is available on our
natural environments. However it will, I am sure, whet the appetite of
those interested in wildlife and also somewhat enhance their knowledge”.
Having read the book I think that the book goes way beyond Jayantha’s
expectations. The book not only provides an ‘aperitif’ but lots of food
for thought to any wildlife enthusiast and arms them with a wealth of
knowledge on number of very important aspects of Sri Lanka’s wildlife.
It not only manages to whet the appetite of a wildlife enthusiast
that craves for information but provides a bellyful of facts about a
variety of topics ranging from butterflies to elephants, invasive
species to endemic species, and the diverse ecosystems found in Sri
Lanka.
The book carries detailed descriptions of mammals, and birds of Sri
Lanka the most visible part of wildlife one is bound to encounter when
visiting natural areas of Sri Lanka.
I would have appreciated a more detailed treatment of lower
vertebrates and invertebrates which the author has failed to elaborate
at length or the plants that have been ignored at large.
But then again it is a major challenge to capture the diversity of
wildlife of Sri Lanka in a single book. This is the very reason why I
think that he should follow this up with another book focusing on the
aspects that have not been dealt at length in this book and I cannot
think of a better person who could achieve this feat.
Jayantha Jayewardene is one of the most experienced and dedicated
naturalists I have come across in Sri Lanka.
He has readily shared his pearls of wisdom with the rest of the
wildlife lovers of this country through a series of literary works,
especially on Asian elephants of Sri Lanka. Jayantha has a gift of
blending his personal experience with scientific fact and present it to
the reader in a clear and simple fashion.
This book too measures up to the high standards he has maintained in
the past. In short I found this book provides a wealth of information on
Sri Lanka’s wildlife in a simple and understandable manner. I am sure
any wildlife lover would find it interesting and informative as I found
it.
- Dr. Devaka Weerakoon Faculty of Zoology, University of Colombo
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