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Make conservation a habit, rather than responsibility


National freshwater fish survey

They were a different group in the classroom. While others worried about studies and dedicated themselves to the Advanced Level examination, that group was working on another project. It happened in a classroom of Richmond College, Galle, in 1993. Madura de Silva and his seven desperately wanted to initiate a project to protect animals and nature.

However their effort was successful which resulted in creating Wildlife Conservation Society in Galle in 1993 in collaboration with Maritime Museum in Galle. The society is registered in Central Environmental Authority under the registration number 6/6/17/30.

The main objective of the society is to create interest for wildlife in Sri Lanka especially among schoolchildren and general public through concerned dedication to conserve prevailing wildlife in the country.

“To achieve these objectives, the society has made untiring efforts through the conduction of exhibitions, lectures, excursions and many more community-based programmes in many parts of the country. The society mainly works

closely with University Academics, Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, foreign experts etc, giving its services in the way of expert knowledge, field guidance and assistance, stressed the society’s president Madura de Silva.

According to de Silva, during the course of years the members have gathered vast experience and knowledge in conservation methods of bio-diversity. They are now suitably qualified to work on affiliated research programmes. They have now established their own project office at Galle with sufficient facilities for research. The society has been an equal partner in a number of collaborative research projects assisted form Department of Wildlife Conservation, Forest Department, National Maritime Museum, National Museum, University of Ruhuna and the Open University of Sri Lanka.


Video documentary of primates

During the last decade, members of the society had made pioneering research and have been able discover several new fauna species, thus making a tremendous contribution to bio-diversity knowledge. The members have also been successful in rediscovering species which were considered as extinct. Furthermore they have discovered some threatened restricted species in new locations where they have not been recorded before.

They have achieved some objectives. The Society has contributed to discover new species from southern Sri Lanka such as Bufor noellerti, Ramanella nagaoi, Ceylonthelphusa kandambyi, Ceylonthelphusa sentosa, Perbrinckia nana and Pastilla. The society has also been able to get permission from the Galle Municipality to establish an education centre inside a rainforest called Hiyare. In this centre the society conducts its own research programs, and especially educational programmes to address the requirements of the villagers, general public of the surrounding areas and most importantly schoolchildren in southern province.


Researchers observing

In this centre the society maintains a mini library, which has a large variety of books on bio-diversity and equipment such as binoculars, headlamps, compasses, magnifying glasses, microscope and portable solar power unit that may become necessary in fieldwork. At present schoolchildren, university students, schoolteachers, the public and foreigners use these facilities during their visits to the centre. The society also conducts lectures, slide shows, workshop and other educational programs within the rainforest.

“We had conducted conservation projects to increase the population of some rare animals group, for instance an in situ breeding program for phytotelm microhylid frog Ramanella nagaoi. This was the first in Sri Lanka,” said de Silva. According to de Silva, apart from the above mentioned things, there were some other past projects which they have done. One of them is preparation of colourful poster on the dragon flies in the low land wet zone of Sri Lanka to promote the dragonfly conservation under the society’s species conservation programme, establishment of plant nursery to distribute plants for post tsunami rehabilitation projects and reforestation projects. 185,000 plants were distributed under this and six satellite community plants nurseries have also been established under this initiative. A comprehensive biodiversity assessment of the lowland rainforests in Matara district was conducted for biodiversity secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.


Breeding Centre and Terrariums

Large numbers of in-house education programmes have been conducted since 2007 to educate the school children on conservation. 169 environmental education programmes were conducted to enhance the environmental awareness among the younger generation. This is done with the volunteer support of the members of the society.

They have also established a breeding centre for freshwater fish and amphibians. Animal rescue programme has been completed. The society has conducted a snake bite programme for medical staff and members of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society of Matale, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts to increase the awareness of snake bites and to decrease snake bites.

Madura de Silva, M M Bahir, Lakmal Attanayake and Hasantha Abeysundara are the active members who handle the administration and many other volunteers and school students are involved in the work very enthusiastically.

Look after animals and enjoy the beauty of nature. Make conservation a habit rather than a responsibility. We are creatures of nature and it is our prime charge to protect it. Wildlife Conservation Society is the best example to follow.

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