Sri Lanka’s plan to privatise its national flag carrier SriLankan Airlines has garnered positive reaction from economists, although few believe it is likely in the short term, given current economic conditions. New Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe this week announced a decision to sell off the loss-making airline. Analysts agree privatisation is essential but question how much interest there will be in buying it unless the government agrees to write off some or all existing debt.  

  “I learnt a lot from my time on this project, and really appreciate all the help SLWCS gave me.” Megan Truscott, UK   Visiting a fishing community   Cornelia Simeon Switzerland   It’s my first time that I visit Sri Lanka and I was really excited to start my 4-weeks volunteer project in the SLWCS Marine Project in Kandakuliya in the Kalpitiya Peninsular.   The welcome was very friendly and I immediately felt at a comfortable place. The project was started by a detailed introduction, which already gave me an important insight into the activities of the next weeks.   I learned how important it is:   ▪              To observe and document the local birds in order to guarantee the future conservation of their environment. ▪              To document the existing mangroves, to find out which is the most common variety, in order to plant more of these mangroves in the future. Mangroves are very important because they support the habitat of many different animals and can also be very valuable in case of any environmental impact (for example tsunamis). ▪              To document the enormous beach pollution. ▪              When all the documentation will be completed, to talk to the communities and together with them find suitable solutions and to inform and educate the population accordingly.   Collecting information on Mangroves   Identifying species of Mangroves     Mangroves     Collecting data on beach pollution   In the first week we started with the waste data collection on the beach. In total we surveyed an area of 1’000 meters and documented all the trash. We found many fishing net parts, plastic and PET bottles, oil cans, toothbrushes and toothpastes, lighters, plastic lids, etc. It is very sad to see how dirty this actually beautiful beach is.   In different places we also started recording the different native birds. I am thrilled about all these beautiful colorful birds. It is incredible what biodiversity nature has created. All this must be protected and preserved at all times. My absolute favorite bird is the Indian Roller. With its blue-violet colors it is a beautiful bird. He also has a funny habit: He loves smoke :-). It is attracted by wildfires and darts into hot smoke in pursuit of insects.   Since it rained or thundered again and again during this week, we had to adjust our program several times at short notice.   But my highlight so far was definitely the dolphin watching. We went out to sea early in the morning by boat and looked for dolphins. We found a few, but they kept hiding as soon as we approached. After waiting for a while we found a huge dolphin family with several hundred members. It was incredibly beautiful to watch these elegant and beautiful animals. I will never forget that.   The locals are very friendly and helpful and I am a fan of Sri Lankan cooking. And I made friends with the resident dog and cat at the field house.   Collecting data on Marine Debris                 Megan Truscott England;   I spent two weeks volunteering on the SLWCS marine project. The project is in the early stages, so most of the work involved collecting data on the surrounding area. Using transects, we counted the marine debris on the beach. This was to identify the most common, and different types of debris present in order to target specific plastic sources such as fishing nets, or household objects further on in the project. We also identified different species of birds and mangroves in the area to monitor which species are most common. These activities were useful for learning about the scientific methods of transects and species identification.         I have an interest in increasing the sustainability of fishing, and the team made a special effort to arrange relevant activities for me. I had the opportunity to meet members of the fishing community, and to observe some of the processes such as fish drying, and sorting once the fishing boats returned to shore. I really appreciated this, engaging with the community was a great experience, and I gained understanding of the lives and methods of the traditional fishing community.         On one of the days we spent the morning dolphin watching, this was an amazing experience and really rewarding to see the pod out at sea. We saw a pod of spinner dolphins, and it was so beautiful to watch them jump and play. Staying in the field house was a lovely part of the experience, the hosts are so welcoming, and it’s a really great opportunity to try local food.   I learnt a lot from my time on this project, and really appreciate all the help SLWCS gave me.             For information on the SLWCS Volunteer Program please send inquiries to: [email protected]   SLWCS Staff and Volunteer shirts sponsored by elephantea     Big, rumbling thanks to our Corporate & Organizational Partners for their kind support and to everyone who has donated and supported our wildlife conservation efforts!

  “I have absolutely loved my time here!! The whole experience had been fantastic, the people, the activities, and the location” Abi Konya, Belgium   Leo photographing elephants   Leo Habig April 12, 2022 France   This was a really unique for me. Being able to help such a cause is always a blessing.   The overall experience was great.   The food was really good during my stay but I understand it could be quite spicy for some other people.   Nevertheless I am really glad I got to be part of the project and had the chance to meet all the wonderful people that are working here.   Thanks for everything.   Leo working in a Project Orange Elephant Farm   A POE Farmer and his orange cultivation     Leo photographing birds for the Bird Research Project   Leo waiting for elephants to cross the road   Aby working in a Project Orange Elephant farm   Abi Konya April 12, 2022 Belgium   I have absolutely loved my time here!!   The whole experience had been fantastic, the people, the activities, and the location. I loved that each day we had the chance to experience many different things. Seeing the elephants in the wild was amazing and very pleasing to see how they were left to their own even with locals around by the lake. The opportunities to meet locals and help out with local farmers and understand how SLWCS work together with the local communities to resolve human elephant conflict (HEC) was great.   The food was always so delicious. I am so grateful to have has the opportunity to go into the kitchen and help Leela & Suwarna (ladies who cook fantastic cooks) with preparing traditional food like rotti.   The people here have really made the experience special for me. Chandima always explained everything so well so I appreciate the time he took to explain why we were doing the different conservation activities and how it impacts the project area. Siriya and Asi were great, they always made the trips out so happy and we were always laughing and smiling. I will miss it here so much and I miss seeing the beautiful sunrise over the lake each day. I would certainly recommend the SLWCS to anyone who wants to make a positive impact towards helping the wildlife of Sri Lanka.   Abi   Aby working in the Butterfly Sanctuary   Aby working on bird surveys   Leo & Aby setting sand traps     For information on the SLWCS Volunteer Program please send inquiries to: [email protected]     Big, rumbling thanks to our Corporate & Organizational Partners for their kind support and to everyone who has donated and supported our wildlife conservation efforts!

  Irene Millar in Conversation with Ravi Corea, President of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society   Ravi Corea’s (pictured below) love for conservation started at an early age.  As a boy, he and his friends, would escape their suburban environment to play in the surrounding marshes. These marshes became their open-air classroom where they learned about nature.  He describes it as ‘a vast expanse of infinite landscape.’ The marshes, home to an eco-system, and a place that inspired younger generations to appreciate nature, were viewed by others as wasteland. In less than 10 years, the marshes were destroyed by development. ‘The footsteps of our childhood in the marshes were erased with concrete and steel.’ This is a story that resonates with my own childhood. The vacant field where we played during the day, and where at night we would gaze in wonder at the stars as my Dad guided us through the constellations, also fell prey to bulldozers and construction.     Sri Lanka, where Ravi grew up, is a biodiversity hotspot. Conversely it also has a large and growing human population with a large percentage of the population generating their income and livelihoods from agriculture. Agriculture requires land, but requisitioning land for agriculture comes at the expense of biodiversity.   Earning a living in Sri Lanka from small scale agriculture is hard, with farmers facing many challenges. Changing weather patterns, too much, or too little rain, together with traditional practices rather than modern farming technologies all impact on what can be harvested. Farmers are understandably angry and frustrated when elephants destroy their crops. On the other hand, elephants are looking for food in what used to be forest, their natural grazing habitat.  Clearing these forest habitats and planting crops that are highly attractive to elephants is a recipe for disaster. This growing competition for land, and food, creates increasing conflict between humans and nature.     Ravi founded the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS) 27 years ago with the aim of reducing conflict between humans and nature. Understanding how conflict has arisen is critical in finding effective and appropriate solutions.   Traditionally, to reduce human elephant conflict, elephants would be fenced in to National Parks with the intention of keeping them away from farmer’s crops. Unfortunately, elephants are not cattle and this ‘solution’ did not take into account the specific needs of elephants. It deprives them from accessing land areas that are important to them during their life cycle.  Wild elephants follow cyclical movements using elephant corridors, pathways, they create to find food in the forest and water sources.   Finding a sustainable solution necessitates that both the human and elephant needs are respected.  Rather than fencing the elephants into an area, Ravi’s response instead focuses on fencing the elephants out of areas that need to be protected from them.  Electric fences erected around homes and crops protect communities and their livelihoods.   This has been a successful remedy for over 20 years, and has been replicated in other parts of the world. However, electric fences are not the most appropriate response for every situation. Solving any issue requires creativity, and I love the alternative options developed and implemented by SLWCS.     One alternative solution harnesses the power of nature. Asian elephants don’t like the smell of citrus!  Since 2006 Project Orange Elephant has planted 45,000 orange trees around communities which have a history of human elephant conflict. These orange trees provide crops with a natural defense system and have created an environment of co-existence with villagers reporting a significant reduction of their property being attacked by elephants. The oranges provide the additional, and welcome, benefit of generating a secondary, and in some cases, primary income source for farmers.   Environments where elephants and humans co-exist in mutual tolerance can be negatively impacted by an influx of people. Especially if these people have no previous experience of living in an area with wild elephants. Lack of understanding can lead to fear, which can incite action, which can escalate to human elephant conflict, and result in elephants being killed.   Electric fencing, nor orange trees, were an appropriate answer for a situation created as a result of a human population increase in a rural area. Concerned parents were walking their children to school through an elephant corridor, and carrying guns to protect them against elephant attacks.  Instead, the remedy crucially required a tactic that reduced opportunities for contact between humans and elephants. With the inauguration of the EleFriendly bus children now travel to school safely, and the elephants continue to use the elephant corridors without being shot.     As a tourism destination, Sri Lanka offers something for everyone; beaches and rainforests, history, culture and festivals. Ravi anticipates that when tourists return there will be an increased appetite for responsible tourism.  He has a strong conviction that every one of us should contribute to conservation, and that conservation of species and habitats should be a global activity alongside minimising plastic waste and carbon dioxide emissions.   SLWCS reflect this conviction by offering a range of volunteer programmes, including planting orange trees and e-volunteering. Each programme helps protect local communities, wildlife and habitats. Volunteers working with local farmers reinforce the message that resolution rather than conflict is a better outcome for everyone.   At 15 years old, Ravi felt helpless to save the marshes, but this feeling ignited his determination to protect natural history and nurtured his understanding of the importance of conservation.   Conservation of our natural environment is what assures us of the ongoing protection of our landscapes and wildlife. It is the way to safeguard diversity on earth and is crucial for our own survival.     Despite our conversation being at 3:00am for Ravi, he was fired up and full of enthusiasm as he shared with me the work and impact of SLWCS. There was so much wisdom in what he shared throughout our conversation. ‘You can change humans’ behaviour; you can’t change wildlife’s behaviour.’ This strikes me as a profound statement. Despite filling me with despair, as it seems to be very difficult for many of us to change our behaviour and see beyond our own immediate needs and wants, equally it offers hope, that as a species we have the ability to modify our behaviour to work within the boundaries of the resources available to us. If oranges can mitigate human elephant conflict, then what other solutions does nature offer us to resolve issues?   Learn more about SLWCS and their unique model for sustainable conservation which includes field research, applied conservation, and sustainable economic development: https://www.slwcs.org/our-story   Volunteer programmes offer you the opportunity to help SLWCS both in Sri Lanka and remotely as an e-volunteer.  Details are available here: https://www.slwcs.org/volunteer   IRENE MILLAR   Passionate about sustainability, Irene would like to hear stories from people in the travel industry with knowledge, dedication and insight, on how they make a positive difference to their local communities, habitats and environment through applying sustainability principles and practices.   [email protected]

  I will miss you all...   I stayed at Wasgamuwa with the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society for 3 weeks in total, from the 17th Jan 2022 to the 7th Feb 2022. I will start by saying that if you are simply after a holiday with no added extras or adventure then come to Sri Lanka. However if (like me) you are looking for a true cultural experience, you would like to work for a real wildlife conservation project and you want to meet some genuinely interesting, kind-hearted and fun people – then this is where you need to come – the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society.  

Matt Collins

  Sometimes, the work can be physical and it is always hot in Sri Lanka (especially if you come from the UK) but the staff is counted on to ensure the mood stays positive and the tasks are well explained. Elephant days are obviously the best days and I will never forget my encounters with them.   I would also like to pay tribute to the staff, I was with Siriya and Assi – who were always fun to be around. Chandima – who is incredibly knowledgeable about the wildlife and environment of Wasgamuwa. The rest of the staff, Chinthaka, Leela, Suwarana and Sedara who ensured I was well looked after. I loved my time here, I have made lots of friends and I am very glad that I came.   Isthuthi!!!*   *Thank you in Sinhalese     I came to Sri Lanka to see how SLWCS and the ‘Saving Elephants by Helping People’ (SEHP) project was helping to mitigate human-elephant conflict.   I leave Sri Lanka now having first hand experience of how SLWCS and SEHP are achieving this and the challenges they face.   My trip started with a detailed explanation of the history of the organisation/project - when it was set up, why it was necessary and some of the success stories. The day after I arrived (once I had settled in), I become fully submerged in the project activities.   Over the course of my time here, I have experienced the following:  

• Tracking and recording data on the behaviour and movement of the elephants in Wasgamuwa National Park (as well as enjoying seeing other wildlife e.g., Water Buffalo, Crocodiles, Deer and many bird species).
• Talking to local farmers about the success of their orange tree plantations (as an alternative crop that elephants generally tend not to target).
• Assessing damage to electric fences by elephants (fences that ‘fence people in’ rather than fence elephants into the National Park).
• Setting camera traps to record the presence/number of leopards, sloth bears and other animals in the forest.

  Other activities included bird watching and helping to create a butterfly sanctuary.   This project isn’t just about observing the elephants, it is also about working with the local communities to find ways to reduce human-elephant conflicts e.g., the Project Orange Elephant, the Ele Bus.   I have enjoyed my time on this project. In addition to understanding more about the SEHP project, I have learnt about Sri Lankan culture, acquired lots more knowledge about the local wildlife, admired the spectacular scenery and made friends with the resident dogs and cats at the field house.   Ps. Sigyria (Lion Rock) is worth a visit at the weekend.     For information on the SLWCS Volunteer Program please send inquiries to: [email protected]   SLWCS Staff and Volunteer shirts sponsored by elephantea     Big, rumbling thanks to our Corporate & Organizational Partners for their kind support and to everyone who has donated and supported our wildlife conservation efforts!

  Ben and Bethany volunteered with the SLWCS for 4 weeks in February and March 2022  

Bethany helping to analyze elephant dung

  We quit our jobs for 6 months for a world trip. Out of all the countries we have been to, Sri Lanka is by far the most beautiful. We spent one month in the field house. The SLWCS staffs were great. We were able to meet so many wonderful volunteers at the SLWCS.  

Ben working in the Butterfly Sanctuary

  It was very rewarding to help farmers to protect their crops by planting orange trees. Our morning work was normally hard work but rewarding such as working in the butterfly garden.   One morning we helped Siriya to harvest paddy, to be able to understand normal life of farmers. Afternoons were usually a bit more easy-going. In the afternoons we would so bird surveys in the paddy fields or go out to look for elephants in order to assess their group sizes and to collect other data.  

Setting up a remote camera

 

Bethany working on Elephant Foraging Studies

  The visits to the National Park were always great with the final trip being by far the best. We saw wild boars, buffalos, had our path blocked by elephants and crocodiles and finally saw not only one but 3 elusive leopards. All in all, our time with the SLWCS was incredible and we would love an opportunity to return.  

Observing elephants

  For information on the SLWCS Volunteer Program please send inquiries to: [email protected]   SLWCS Staff and Volunteer shirts sponsored by elephantea     Big, rumbling thanks to our Corporate & Organizational Partners for their kind support and to everyone who has donated and supported our wildlife conservation efforts!

Emirates inked a MoU with Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau to help revive the country’s trade and tourism industry. The MoU was signed by Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean, and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates, said: "Sri Lanka remains a very key market in Emirates’ global network.  We launched operations to Colombo more than 35 years ago, and our partnership continues to grow. We look forward to exploring mutually beneficial initiatives that will help revive the nation’s tourism sector." Under the agreement, Emirates and Sri Lanka Tourism will benefit from joint activities including trade shows, Fam trips, exhibitions, and workshops. Since Sri Lanka reopened to international tourists in February 2021, Emirates has carried more than 80,000 passengers to Colombo. The top inbound markets include UAE, Italy, UK and Germany. The airline currently operates 28 weekly flights to Colombo and is the only international carrier to serve the country with First Class service.

Kazakhstan carrier Air Astana will launch scheduled services linking its Almaty hub and Sri Lankan capital Colombo beginning on 3 December 2021. The twice weekly service will be operated by Airbus A321LR aircraft on Tuesdays and Fridays. Departure from Almaty will be at 05:30, arriving in Colombo at 11:30, with the return flight from Colombo at 12:30 and arriving back in Almaty at 19:40, all times local. Return airfares in economy class start at US$512, including airport, fuel and other charges. "Air Astana successfully operated charter flights between Almaty and Sri Lanka between February and April 2021, with almost 3,000 passengers carried on the route," said Air Astana Sales Director, Islam Sekerbekov. "Given the proven popularity of the earlier service, we are very pleased to be returning to the market with regular scheduled flights." Sri Lanka accepts all vaccines. Unvaccinated passengers, including children above two years old, are required to provide a negative PCR test certificate obtained no more than 72 hours prior to departure. Air Astana customers can find full entry requirements at: https://airastana.com/kaz/en-us/Book-Manage/Book/Special-Offers/Flights-to-Sri-Lanka  

Destination management company Khiri Travel has launched four new ecotourism tours in Sri Lanka as the country reopens for quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated arrivals. From Mirissa on the southern tip of Sri Lanka, guests can sail in a catamaran with a marine biologist to spot blue whales and dolphins. In the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, the Trails of Matale trip allows guests to  meet villagers and hike through pepper, cinnamon and coffee plantations. In the Kandy hill country, Khiri has created an educational tour to show how spices such as cinnamon are cultivated. The trip includes a mug of locally grown 'wild coffee', a forest curry lunch and a donation to a reafforestation foundation. Guests can also help with a seagrass restoration project in the Puttalam/Kalpitiya area in the north west of the country. The experience involves planting seagrass, in a lagoon which is an important breeding ground for sealife. Since January 2021, Khiri has been offsetting guests' holiday carbon emissions by charging US$1.50 per person per day. The process is being carried out in cooperation with ClimateCare which helps companies such as Khiri Travel with the technical fulfillment of carbon offsetting. "There has been a noticeable increase since September but since the 7 October announcement enquiries and bookings have picked up at an even faster rate," said Mahiru Fernando, Acting General Manager of Khiri Travel Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has imposed a 10-day lockdown in an effort to contain surging Covid infections. Last week it recorded the highest single-day death toll of 187 and 3,793 cases as it threatens to overwhelm the health system. The lockdown will last until 30 August. Daily infections have more than doubled in the past month. Authorities had already imposed certain restrictions such as closure of schools, gyms, and banning events, as well as an overnight curfew.   Read full story

Sri Lanka plans to reopen to tourism from 1 June. It is lifting its temporary ban on inbound travellers, except those who have been in India during the last two weeks. It will follow a 10-day lockdown to contain rising Covid-19 infections. Sri Lanka has capped capacity of all incoming flights at a maximum off 75 passengers. All foreign tourists must produce a negative PCR test result, and additional testing is required upon arrival.   Read full story

  The global shut down due to Covid-19 had impacts and repercussions far beyond anything we had imagined before. Trying to pick up our lives in a post-pandemic world could be daunting, yet, it is also an unprecedented once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to Start Over—another chance to take on things we have been postponing for ever. It is exciting to reopen our wildlife and marine volunteering programs that had enriched the lives of many hundreds of people who had volunteered for the SLWCS over two decades. It gives us great pleasure to have our first post-pandemic volunteer, Katarzyna Jezierska from England and to share her first week’s experiences with you.     My first week with the fabulous SLWCS!! Katarzyna Jezierska, UK     It is truly exciting to participate in the volunteer program led by Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation society. I love how their work combines thorough, world-class research with long-term conservation work with the local communities to help mitigate the human-elephant conflict by supporting the farmers. It was a pity to hear a lot of those activities had to be scaled down or paused because of the pandemic - and I’m happy to be the first of volunteers returning to support it!     My first week was truly exciting - with visits to Wasgamuwa National Park and a chance to observe and take notes on several elephant family groups, learn more about their habits and behaviors, watch these majestic animals from up close, looking at how they eat, how they care about the young ones, how they communicate within the group. Truly enchanting!     I also had a chance to see the richness of other wildlife including plenty of local birds, wild buffalo, spotted deer, sambar, crocodiles, water and land monitors, wild boar etc. We also set up camera traps, hiking through the jungle, observed elephants outside the national park, worked to create a butterfly sanctuary to attract the many species of Sri Lanka’s amazing butterflies (some as big as my palm and colorful like in paradise), supported the local farmers by giving them orange saplings to protect against the elephants while generating additional income and helped in planting those trees.     Chandima was very willing to explain more about his research, the program and the conservation measures, but I also had many wonderful conversations with him and the other project team members on many other topics. All this living in a beautiful surrounding, facing a serene lake full of water birds, overseeing a patch of jungle and close to a magnificent rocky hill, among a very friendly team, with delightful local food cooked by Lila and the wake-ups with the sounds of birds at dawn. Even the basic living conditions in the field house are part of the adventure and each day I was happy to watch our house or terrace pets (cute cat and dogs) as well as wildlife guests (geckos, skinks, lizards, bats, frogs etc).     The Field House is designed to be Covid-safe providing masks, sanitizer and reminders to keep a safe distance from other people. And Sri Lanka is very well organized in terms of travel (clear rules pre- and during travel, even getting the visa is easy, rapid PCR testing in the airport if you need it for the return etc).   I could not imagine a more memorable holiday - I already know I will want to keep coming to Sri Lanka and the project! So, if you are looking for your next adventure - come and don’t just see the elephants, help protect them!     For information on the SLWCS Volunteer Program please send inquiries to: [email protected]   SLWCS Staff and Volunteer shirts sponsored by elephantea     Big, rumbling thanks to our Corporate & Organizational Partners for their kind support and to everyone who has donated and supported our wildlife conservation efforts!