Sri Lanka’s environment as well as her wildlife are facing turbulent times. This is evident with several policy-level decisions that were taken to speed up development. But it has been made clear that environmental conservation and development should be balanced out. Although the ‘laws of nature’ have certainly stood above petty agendas of wildlife racketeers, many still seem to find a way to evade action for such crimes. Illegal practices such as snaring continue in broad daylight and already 12 leopards succumbed to snaring just this year. Besides, Sri Lanka was recently acknowledged as the ‘country with the highest number of elephant deaths’.

Mass deforestation activities, illegal encroachments into wildlife habitats, illegal activities taking place in protected areas, trading exotic species and their body parts, online auctions for ivory, poaching protected species are crimes with heavy penalties but people still seem to continue to carry out such activities. The following is a cross-section of wildlife crimes reported to the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)and illegal activities they raided islandwide during 2020.

JANUARY
A suspect was arrested for killing a wild elephant and subsequently burning it for three days as means of covering up the crime in Settikulam, Vavuniya.
The carcass of a leopard was found in Mav Aru Reservoir, bordering the Udawalawa National Park. The leopard was not only killed but its teeth and front legs were taken away. Four suspects were arrested in relation to this incident.

Suspect arrested for killing a barking deer, a species protected by the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance in Haggala.
Suspect arrested in Eluwankulama for killing a sambar deer and was charged Rs. 375,000 as a fine.
A fine of Rs. 70,000 was charged on a suspect who was illegally selling turtle eggs in Mirissa.

FEBRUARY
Carcass of an elephant found in Puliyamankulam, Vavuniya. Cause of death unknown.

Two people arrested for keeping leopard teeth, skin and ivory in their possession. A sum of Rs. 180,000 was charged as a fine.
Suspect arrested for selling tortoises in Thummodara.

MARCH
Suspect in Welimada arrested for attempting to sell a Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot and was charged Rs. 15,000 as a fine.

Four suspects arrested from Meegalewa, Kurunegala for keeping pangolin meat in their possession.
Two people arrested for doing an illegal land filling in the Muthurajawela Wetland.

APRIL
Leopard killed in Nawalapitiya as a result of snaring.
Bushmeat raided from Giribawa and seven suspects were arrested in relation to this incident.
Two suspects arrested from Kalthota for keeping pangolin meat in their possession.

MAY
Suspect caught while laying hakka patas at Kahalla Pallekele Nature Reserve.
Suspect arrested for stocking 15.5 kg of bushmeat and was charged with a fine of Rs. 60,000.
The rare black leopard that was caught in a snare in Nallathanniya died several days after it was rescued.

JUNE
A tusker succumbed to injuries at the Borupanwila area in the Wilpattu National Park.
Tortoise meat raided from Galapitagala, Ampara while two suspects were arrested in relation to the incident.

JULY
Several suspects arrested for cutting down teak trees at the Maduru Oya National Park to be sold as timber.
Two hectares at Anavilundawa Sanctuary was burnt due to a sudden fire.
A suspect from Matale arrested for caging a Grey Hornbill for domestic use and was charged with a fine of Rs. 40,000.
Suspect from Hasalaka arrested for keeping wild boar meat and severed heads of two bears in his possession.

AUGUST
Suspect arrested for doing an illegal chena cultivation at Wilmanna Sanctuary bordering Bundala National Park and for keeping 5 kg of porcupine meat in his possession. He was charged  a fine of Rs. 70,000.
Suspect arrested for attempting to sell two ornaments made out of ivory. He was charged with a surety of Rs. 100,000. 

SEPTEMBER
Suspect arrested for transporting wild boar meat in Galgamuwa.
Five suspects arrested for illegally filling the Bellanwila-Attidiya sanctuary to construct a house and was charged a fine of Rs. 40,000 each after being produced in the Gangodawila courts.
Suspect arrested with trap guns at Wilpattu National Park.
Suspect from Galaha arrested for attempting to sell a tusk online.
Suspect arrested for illegally clearing part of the Alla Sanctuary in Seruwila and was produced to the Mutur courts.
Two suspects arrested for cutting down a Palu tree at the Somawathiya National Park and was produced to the Kantale Magistrate courts.
Suspect from Matale arrested for trading endemic birds on social media.
Suspect arrested with a trap gun and meat of a spotted deer near Wilpattu National Park.

OCTOBER
Suspect from Panama arrested with two tusks.
Suspect arrested for killing a barking deer near Ravana Ella.
Suspect from Matale arrested and charged with a fine of Rs. 60,000 for trading endemic birds.

NOVEMBER
Suspect from Mullegama arrested for keeping the skin of a leopard in his possession and was released on a surety of Rs. 100,000 after being produced at the Ampara magistrate court. He was further instructed to report to the Inginiyagala police station every Sunday.

Three suspects arrested for carrying out illegal activities including unapproved cattle farming at the Somawathiya National Park.

DECEMBER
Three suspects arrested for cutting down teak trees at Elahera-Giritale sanctuary to be traded for timber.
Suspect from Anuradhapura arrested for attempting to sell a leopard’s tooth via social media.
Ten suspects from Kalpitiya arrested for deliberately harming coral reefs using illegal nets and were fined  Rs. 100,000 after being produced to the Puttalam Magistrate Court.

Apart from that several illegal moonshine operations taking place inside national parks, protected areas were also raided during the course of the year. DWC officials have also rescued elephants, fishing cats, crocodiles and other animals that have fallen into agro wells.

REPORTED INCIDENTS OF DEFORESTATION
The rate of deforestation has clearly increased threats for the survival of endemic species. The impact is larger on vulnerable, threatened and nearly threatened species. Some of the reported incidents of deforestation are as follows:

• Walankanda Forest Reserve for a commercial project.
• Orugalyaya Reserve deforested 
• Deforestation in Bambaragas Wewa and destruction of Sambaltive mangrove site in Trincomalee.
• Walikanda Diwulana area illegally taken by residents for agricultural purposes.
• Deforestation at Wandama Demalya Protected Area and destruction of the proposed elephant management reserve.
• Large scale deforestation at Kirisuddan in Madu Forest Reserve.
• Mangrove site cut down in Kalpitiya for shrimp farming.
• Another mangrove site destroyed in Kirinda, Tissamaharama for developmental purposes.
• A reservation in Walikanda which was also an elephant corridor destroyed.
• An illegal logging attempt and deforestation was reported from Mahadivulwewa Forest Reserve.
• Nearly one and a half acres in Pinkattiya at Anavilundawa Ramsar Wetland was destroyed.
• Deforestation at the North-Eastern section of the Gal Oya National Park.
• Nearly 185 acres at Huruluwewa Protected Area was damaged.
• A 10 acre area at Lahugala National Park was illegally taken while an attempt was made to remove borders.
• Land clearance in Rambakan Oya under the auspices of the Mahaweli Authority to be given away to maize farmers.

The rapidly diminishing forest cover will aggravate the human-wildlife conflict. Although it is understood that coexistence is the only way forward, people seem to have failed to cooperate. The larger crop damage, threat to their lives and larger-than-life social issues including poverty have certainly kept proper wildlife conservation at bay. This shows that government and private stakeholders should continue their efforts to educate the masses and take practical decisions in the best interest of wildlife conservation.

(INFORMATION COURTESY: DWC AND LEOPOCON)