Having recognised the importance of high quality research in protecting the endangered Sri Lankan Leopard, LOLC, one of Sri Lanka’s leading and largest diversified conglomerates has stepped forward to support the ‘Standardised Population Survey of the Sri Lankan Leopard in the Wilpattu National Park’.
This 6-month project is spearheaded by the Environmental Foundation Limited, the Department of Wildlife Conservation of Sri Lanka, and ‘For The Leopard Trust’. The cheque to fund the project was handed over to the Environmental Foundation Ltd. at the LOLC Head Office in Rajagiriya, recently.
The Leopard is one of the five species of “Big Cats” in the world along with the Tiger, Lion, Jaguar and the Snow Leopard. Only nine subspecies of Leopards including the Sri Lankan Leopard Panthera pardus kotiya have been recognized in the world and our Leopard, is the second remaining “island Leopard” in the world. This unique big cat is our apex predator and is categorised as an endangered species by the IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) primarily due to loss of habitat.
Furthermore, Sri Lanka’s national parks are listed amongst the world’s best places to observe Leopards.
Speaking about the project, Dr. Eric Wikramanayake, Principal Investigator and Chairman of the Environmental Foundation Limited said, “This survey at Wilpattu will provide the first robust and scientifically defensible estimates of Leopards in Wilpattu, after which we hope to continue this survey in other major protected areas of Sri Lanka. The data will establish a reliable baseline to inform long-term population monitoring and conservation programs. The objective of this survey is to estimate Leopard densities using Leopard photographic data which will be used in spatially explicit capture–recapture analysis (SECR) in the Wilpattu National Park”.
The methodology used for this population survey is an internationally accepted protocol that uses two systematically set up camera traps. The camera traps, spaced about 2-3 kilometres apart, will be left active for a period of 40 days and checked regularly.
Dr. Wikramanayake added, “We are immensely encouraged by our partnership with LOLC. It will reinforce our conservation efforts and ensure that such iconic species are not affected along Sri Lanka’s journey towards economic progress and development. Corporate partners like LOLC have recognised the importance of protecting Sri Lanka’s wildlife and we are pleased to work closely with corporates who have understood the essence of wildlife conservation”.
Dinal Samarasinghe who is leading the field work noted that Phase 1 of the camera trapping programme covering the Eastern section of the Wilpattu National Park has been completed.
Speaking about the Population Survey of the Sri Lankan Leopard in the Wilpattu National Park, the Group Managing Director/ CEO of the LOLC Group, Kapila Jayawardena stated, “LOLC is extremely happy to support this project which is of great national significance. We are proud to partner and support the efforts of the Environmental Foundation and the Department of Wildlife Conservation to protect endangered species such as the majestic and iconic Sri Lankan Leopard. We understand that these conservation efforts require adequate financing and it is not the sole responsibility of conservation organisations such as the EFL.
That is why we stepped forward to support such important projects which aims to protect and conserve Sri Lanka’s wildlife. We as a corporate will continue to engage in similar conservation efforts that focus on creating a sustainable ecosystem for both people and wildlife”.
Kithsiri Gunawardena, Chief Operating Officer of the LOLC Group said, “As an avid Leopard enthusiast engaged in the study of Leopards in Wilpattu, in my spare time, today I’m extremely pleased and proud that we are supporting this project spearheaded by EFL and the Department of Wildlife Conservation and look forward to even better measures being taken to ensure the long term conservation of Leopards in the country. LOLC is quite conscious of the value of our unique bio diversity and the important role the corporate sector can play in supporting conservation”.
Add new comment