At the end of the war in 2009, immediate visitors to the North and the East were astonished at the sight of pristine forests, unlike many left in the remainder of the country, intact and preserved and beautiful. Wildlife, even the iconic species, left a trace of their presence in the sand; understandably being rarely seen during the day., the fact remained that vast tracts of forest and large numbers of wildlife endured. That was 14 years ago, and the narration has changed since.

Today, there are reports of rampant deforestation and the killing of wildlife taking place here. The human-elephant conflict has reached levels never seen before. Though, as the saying goes, to the victor lies the spoils, these ‘spoils’ belong to all the people of this country, and for the health and wealth of its future, and their destruction spells catastrophe. Yet, just as during the War, information on this barely trickles through to the general public and they remain blissfully unaware that the Nation’s Natural Wealth is being ravaged here, as it is in much of the rest of the island, at a rate never seen before.

Are these areas, freed with considerable human and financial cost, all to be destroyed in a couple of decades? What of the revenue these wonderful places and creatures could bring to the country, and the local communities, if they are protected and shown off to the World? And what of the environment – climate change and global warming – and the havoc it is already beginning to inflict on this island in protracted droughts followed by destructive deluges? Are we to sacrifice the future on the altar of greed?

Dr. S. Wijeyamohan is well known in conservation circles as someone who has long championed the cause of conservation in the North and the East. Specialising in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation and Management, he is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Bio-science of the University of Vavuniya. Though much of his work has been on human-elephant conflict (HEC), particularly in trialling low-cost ‘hanging’ electric fencing for its mitigation, he has also campaigned for the preservation of all wildlife and the wilderness of these special areas.

A member of the IUCN Asian Elephant Group and the IUCN Crocodile Specialists Group, he has numerous publications to his credit. A mentor and guide for many young scientists and researchers of the North & the East, and with his wide base of knowledge, there can be none better than Dr. Wijeyamohan to help us understand the reality, and lift the fog of ignorance of these vastly biodiverse, and increasingly threatened, vitally precious areas of this Nation. The monthly lecture of the WNPS is supported by the Nations Trust Bank. It is open to both members and non-members. ENTRANCE FREE.

Photo credit: Dev Mukund and WNPS