By Rathindra Kuruwita
Environmentalists yesterday urged the government not to waste hundreds of millions of rupees on establishing another Elephant Holding Ground (EHG) at the Lunugamvehera National Park, as the EHG in Horowpathana had turned out to be a disaster.
Supun Lahiru Prakash of the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle told
The Island yesterday that a recent report by the Auditor General had exposed the EHG in Horowpathana.
Prakash said: “The AG’s report points out the elephant census conducted in June 2019, which showed that out of all the elephants retained in the holding ground, 12 elephants had died, and out of that which five had been starving. Another two elephants died due to unattended translocation to the holding ground. It was observed that the health condition of the elephants retained at the holding ground were poor and no follow-up action was taken.”
Posted on January 20th, 2021
Sandun A Jayasekara Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Sri Lanka has ventured into gold exploration to determine whether the country has gold deposits to be exploited commercially, a senior official of the Environment Ministry said.
Secretary of the Ministry of Environment- Dr. Anil Jasinghe told Daily Mirror that a discussion was held last week with the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) and the Department of Wild Life Conservation to see the possibility of issuing a license to carry out excavation at Seruwawila in the Trincomalee District for gold.
A survey conducted in 1970 at Seruwawila had revealed that there was gold in small quantities in a deposit of iron- ore mixed with copper. What we are trying to ascertain is that whether there is gold in iron deposits to be commercially exploited,” Dr. Jasinghe said.
On Wednesday, Rep. Justin Humphrey (R) introduced House Bill 1648, asking the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission to establish a “big foot hunting season.
Protected leopards under threat in Sri Lanka
Greed and superstition are causing the demise of the island s endangered big cats
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A leopard in Yala National Park in Sri Lanka, which has fewer than 1,000 leopards. (Photo: YouTube)
Leopards are roaming Sri Lanka because their habitat has been destroyed and they must search for food in villages.
In 2020, 13 leopards were reported killed in the island nation, mostly in Nuwara Eliya district. The leopards enter villages and kill domestic dogs and even cats.
A villager was killed in a leopard attack on Dec. 30 and another attack was reported on Jan. 1.
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OPERATION LAUNCHED TO LOCATE VIOLENT LEOPARD
OPERATION LAUNCHED TO LOCATE VIOLENT LEOPARD
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COLOMBO (News 1st): An operation was launched in collaboration with Sri Lanka Army at the Kudimbigala Sanctuary in Ampara, in order to locate the Leopard that attacked two farmers within the span of three days, the Department of Wildlife Conservation said on Saturday (Jan. 02).
The farmers were attacked by the Leopard while working in a paddy field located inside the Kudumbigala Sanctuary, Director-General of Wildlife, Chandana Sooriyabandara said.
One individual who was attacked by a Leopard on Friday afternoon (Jan. 01) is currently receiving treatment at the Pottuvil Hospital.