WNPS lecture on 22 May to put spotlight on saving Sri Lanka’s vanishing wild

Friday, 16 May 2025 03:31 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

“Time is Running Out: Saving Sri Lanka’s vanishing wild” will be the call at the Nations Trust WNPS Monthly Lecture on 22 May at 6 p.m. at the Jasmine Hall, BMICH.

The lecture will be delivered by Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody, Prof. Enoka Kudavidanage, Prof Sampath Seneviratne and Jehan CanagaRetna. They will be joined by project field researchers Gihani Hettiarachchi, Pavithra Attanayake, Thilina M. Kumarasiri and Upuli Madarasinghe

From elephants to wildcats, from vanishing forests to fading oceans, and the silent extinction of endemics — Sri Lanka’s natural heritage is on the brink, and time is running out to save it, said WNPS which is calling on conservationists and changemakers to join a bold conversation about the future of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity.

The lecture will spotlight four critical, high-stakes conservation battles unfolding right now: the escalating human-elephant conflict, the silent vanishing of Sri Lanka’s majestic wildcats, the urgent need for ecosystem restoration on land and sea, and the race against extinction for the country’s unique endemic species.

But this is no dry recital of facts. This will be a thought-provoking, no-holds-barred session that challenges, inspires, and empowers every participant. One can hear about real-world solutions driven by science, fieldwork, and community action — and most importantly, how they can be part of the fight.

Sri Lanka’s National Mangrove Expert Committee Chair and WNPS Marine Conservation Lead Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody is a driving force behind blue carbon and mangrove restoration initiatives.

A respected conservation biologist and WNPS Wild Cats Subcommittee Co-Chair Prof. Enoka Kudavidanage brings deep expertise in Sri Lanka’s ecosystem dynamics.

Attached to the University of Colombo Prof. Sampath Seneviratne is also a research scientist, a forester, a conservationist, and a public communicator. He loves birding, tracking wildlife and planting.

WNPS Immediate Past President Jehan CanagaRetna is a seasoned conservation advocate. He is a passionate voice for human-elephant coexistence and currently chairs the WNPS Human-Elephant Coexistence (HEC) Subcommittee.

Gihani Hettiarachchi serves as the Project Coordinator at WNPS, focusing on research into human-wildlife coexistence. She leads leopard conservation efforts with a people-centred approach through the WNPS–LOLC partnership.

Pavithra Attanayake is a Senior Executive at WNPS PLANT, where she drives science-based, community-led ecosystem restoration and education initiatives. She has over eight years of experience in this field.

Thilina M. Kumarasiri is a biologist and MPhil researcher who leads mangrove restoration efforts, championing blue carbon ecosystem conservation in Sri Lanka.

Upuli Madarasinghe is a Field officer at the HEC Centre. Upuli bridges communities and conservation, pioneering grassroots solutions to human-elephant conflict.

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