N'Eliya preserves biodiversity despite odds

Priyanka Kurugala

Nuwara Eliya is rich in biodiversity in spite of lands used for tea cultivation, according to a study of the Young Biologists' Association, Sri Lanka.

The study says, though tea plantation is prominent and land used for cultivation in the up country, the area still sustains a significant portion of up-country biodiversity.

It has been revealed that 245 fauna and 160 flora species were recorded during the study. Vertebrates observed comprises 22 amphibians, 19 reptiles, 95 birds and 21 mammals, including 16, 10, 10 and 2 endemic species respectively.

The invertebrates recorded from the study comprises 43 butterflies, 18 land snails and 27 odonates. The invertebrates consist of 2, 8 and 7 endemic species respectively. The 158 species of flora recorded from the study area comprised 95 introduced species, 52 native species and 11 endemic species.

The main conservation issues observed in the study area was the spread of alien invasive species, use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides and soil erosion. The increase of organic farming practices and habitat enrichment programmes may improve the biodiversity in these plantations.

Researchers have studied the flora and fauna diversity of five selected tea estates in the Nuwara Eliya District. The study has covered vertebrates other than fish, three main invertebrates: butterflies, odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) and land snails and high land area plants.