Thursday, September 24, 2020

Some helpful tips to be an ethical wildlife photographer

 

Wildlife photography is an essential tool to inspire the desire to protect wildlife. It has the power to turn people on to the wonder of nature. But we must remember to put the welfare of the subject first. Even though there are no clear guidelines a few basic principles that can help make the way clearer.

·         Know the signs of the stress of your subject species – There is always a stress for the animals when we flock around their natural feeding and gathering places but we have to be very aware of our effects so that it can be minimized.

·         Take special care at breeding season – Special care needs during this season. We have to avoid actions that might result in driving parents away from the young allowing them more vulnerable to predators.

·         Not to destroy or alter the habitat for a better view or scene.

·         Do not feed wildlife for a better shot and honor their wildness.

·         Be transparent on how a photograph was made

Build your reputation as a wildlife photographer by doing it in a more responsible manner.

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Why Sri Lanka is a top priority for bird watchers around the world?

 

Having 33 endemic bird species with a total number of 509 bird species including the migrant birds Sri Lanka provides an unparalleled birding experience for any serious bird watcher.  With its rich bio diversity and various climatic conditions it never fails to satisfy any bird watcher who comes to Sri Lanka from any part of the world. Whether you are a serious bird watcher or a casual bird watcher it always has options. During the migration season more than 200 species arrives Sri Lanka from India, Siberia, Scandinavia, and Western Europe. The latter part of the year is the best time for bird watching in Sri Lanka. In my naturalist life, some of our clients have become serious bird watchers and nature lovers after having a casual walk with me because of the diversity of nature we have here. Even in the capital city of Colombo provides greater opportunities for bird watching in places like Diyasaru Park – Thalawathugoda and Baddegana Wetland Park.

Some of the popular destinations for bird watching in Sri Lanka are

·         Sinharaja Rain Forest

·         Bundala National Park

·         Kumana National Park

·         Horton Plains National Park

·         Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland

·         Wilpattu National Park

·         Kitulgala

·         Galsway Forest – Nuwaraeliya

·         Minneriya National Park

·         Kaudulla National Park

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Why Sri Lanka is considered as a best wildlife destination in the world?

 

A blend of game drives, marine life, and diverse of landscapes, all packed into a compact area Sri Lanka provides an unparalleled experience for wildlife enthusiasts.  Sri Lanka has become the easiest place in the world to see the blue whales; the largest mammal ever lived on the planet. On top of that Yala National Park has become the most popular park to see Leopards in the world as it has the highest density of leopards in a compact area.

·         Highest rates of the biological endemism – 16% of its fauna and 23% of its flora are endemic to the country.

·         Abundance of birdlife – According to the last known records more than 500 bird species are recorded in Sri Lanka including the migrants. Out of that more than 30 species are endemic to Sri Lanka.

·         The largest gathering of the Asian Elephants on the bed of the Minneriya Lake during the months of September and October. Hundreds of elephants congregate around the reservoir.

·         Sri Lanka’s very own big five – Elephants, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Blue Whales, and Sperm Whales

·         Stunning accommodation options are available adjacent to the popular wildlife destinations.

Thursday, September 10, 2020

Why you should not feed wild animals?

 

Feeding wildlife can lead to cause a number of serious problems.

 

They do not need food from humans to survive, and that food is not healthy for them. They have specialized diets and they can become malnourished or die if fed wrong foods. Also animals cannot distinguish food from wrappers or foil and can get sick eating these items.

 

Increase the chances of disease transmission by gathering too many animals in one place. Also it will lead to unnecessary crowding and competition and increase the chances of having fights and injuries among animals.

 

Lose the natural fear of humans and can be aggressive. Once they learn that they can panhandle for food they can become a nuisance. This is a common problem in Sri Lanka as most of the people feed wild elephants on roadside cause to lead attacks and Toque Macaques has become a nuisance in most of the places because of human feeding.

 

Increase the chances of road accidents as they tend to stay near the road.