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Updated Schedule

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threats to Sinharaja

file:///C:/Users/HP/Downloads/Sinharaja%20Forest%20Reserve%20-%202020%20COA%20-%20en.pdf

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Hulan-idda

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Sophie Green artist known for hyper realistic paintings and one of the judges in the competition mentioned that she will take up to 1-2 months to finish a painting and she paint every day.

I wanted to research on how much time it would take as my time will be limited and have to prioritize my fmp.

As this is my first time painting an animal and and using different mediums, I need to guide my time properly and a art style.

A tutorial of how she start to create here painting

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Fur painting exercise

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2 fur painting test

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BIRD

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Tutorial of how to draw fur

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Wild life animal sounds

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Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Located in south-west Sri Lanka, Sinharaja is the country's last viable area of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

Encompassing the last extensive patch of primary lowland rainforest in Sri Lanka, Sinharaja Forest Reserve is situated in the south-west lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka.  Covering an area of 8,864 ha and ranging from an altitude of 300 – 1,170 meters, it consists of 6,092 ha of Forest Reserve and 2,772 ha of Proposed Forest Reserve. This narrow strip of undulating terrain encompasses a series of ridges and valleys that are crisscrossed by an intricate network of streams. Draining to both the south and north, this detailed matrix of waterways flow into the Gin River on the southern boundary of the property and Kalu River via the Napola Dola, Koskulana Ganga and Kudawa Ganga on its northern boundary. Annual rainfall over the last 60 years has ranged from 3614 - 5006 mm with most of the precipitation during the south-west monsoon (May-July) and the north-east monsoon (November- January).

Sri Lanka is home to 830 endemic species, of which 217 trees and woody climbers are found in the low land wet zone. Of these, 139 (64%) have been recorded in the reserve including 16 rare species. Faunal endemism is particularly high for birds with 19 (95%) of 20 species recorded in the property being endemic to Sri Lanka. Endemism among mammals and butterflies is also greater than 50%. A number of threatened, endangered and rare species occur within the reserve including: leopard (Panthera pardus), Indian elephant (Elephas maxiumus), endemic purple-faced Langur (Presbytis senex), Sri Lanka wood pigeon (Columba torringtoni), green-billed Coucal (Centropus chlororrhynchus), Sri Lanka white-headed starling (Sturnus senex), Sri Lanka blue magpie (Cissa ornate), ashy-headed babbler (Garrulax cinereifrons) and Sri Lanka broad-billed roller (Eurystomus orientalis irisi). 

Criterion (ix): Sinharaja is the last remaining relatively undisturbed remnant of tropical humid evergreen forest in Sri Lanka. The property’s flora is a relic of Gondwanaland and provides an important component to our scientific understanding of continental drift and an outstanding site for the study of the processes of biological evolution. A geological feature of considerable interest is the presence of the Sinharaja basic zone, with the reserve located within the transition zone of two important rock types characteristic of Sri Lanka; the south-western group and the highland group. 

Criterion (x): Endemism within the property is extremely high. Protecting the last viable remnant of Sri Lanka’s tropical lowland rainforest, Sinharaja is home to at least 139 endemic plant species within two main types of forest: remnants of Dipterocarpus in the valleys and on the lower slopes, and secondary forest and scrub where the original forest cover has been removed. Sixteen of the endemic plant species within the property are considered rare, including endemic palms Loxococcus rupicola and Atalantia rotundifolia.

Faunal endemism is also high, particularly for mammals, birds and butterflies, exceeding 50%. Nineteen (95%) of Sri Lanka’s 20 endemic birds are present in the property, which is also home to leopard and Indian elephant, both of which are threatened species.

Integrity

Sinharaja Forest Reserve forms a sufficiently large conservation unit for the in-situ conservation of rare and endangered species while sustaining the on-going biological evolutionary processes for which it was inscribed. Surrounded by 13 other adjacent natural forest areas that provide an added layer of protection to the property the boundaries however, require further definition and demarcation.

Efforts are also being made by the management agency to further enhance the conservation status of the reserve through regulation of land uses occurring in the area surrounding the property, which hopes to further reduce the impact of intensive land use on the values of Sinharaja. Illicit timber felling, gemming and poaching continue to be of concern with regards to the impacts on the values and integrity of the property, but the high level of public support for nature conservation and the large number of government bodies involved in regulation and proposal approval, results in strong opposition to resource exploitation proposals.

Protection and management requirements

Noted as a national heritage wilderness area on October 21st 1988, the majority of the area within the property was originally declared a forest reserve on May 3rd 1875, providing a long history of protection. The property is afforded the highest level of legal protection under the National Heritage and Wilderness Area Act of Sri Lanka and almost all the peripheral natural forests along the boundary have already been declared as conservation forests or reserved forests under the Forest Ordinance. The values encompassed by the property were further recognised when it was declared a Biosphere Reserve in April 1978 and subsequently inscribed on the World Heritage.

Sinharaja World Heritage property  is managed directly by the Divisional Forest Officer from the Forest Department, under the authority of the Ministry of Lands and Land Development. A National Steering Committee coordinates the institutions for Sinharaja as a National Wilderness Area, Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage site. Management practices and research are executed in accordance with the prescriptions of the respective management plans, prepared for the Sinharaja Conservation Area as well as the property’s peripheral natural forests, under the national forest policy directives. The management plans for the property, prepared in 1985/86 and 1992/94, emphasize conservation, scientific research, buffer zone management, benefit sharing, and community participation.

Sinharaja is provided with the highest level of legal protection under the National Heritage Wilderness Area Act and a high level of environmental awareness of the local community is extremely helpful in implementing management plan prescriptions. Forest dependency of local communities is very low and maintaining this healthy partnership with local communities is the main strategy to ensure future protection of this property. Historically protected as a result of its inaccessibility and steep, hilly terrain, the Forest Department prioritizes protection of the reserve over development pressures and resource extraction. Visitor numbers remain low with entry by permit only.

Threats to the values and integrity of the property primarily come from encroaching cultivation, particularly along the southern boundary. Development undertaken outside the property indirectly impacts the site through road developments which subsequently open up routes and entry points into the property, facilitating illegal logging and removal of resources, with illegal gem mining also posing a threat. The traditional use of forest products is now restricted to areas outside the boundaries.Low staffing levels hinder the policing of offences and a lack of funding is a barrier to the effective, long-term management of the area. The management agency, the Sri Lankan Forestry Department has designated the management of Sinharaja a high priority, allocating funds according to the priorities spelled out in the management plan and on-going management programmes.

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http://viduketha.nsf.gov.lk:8585/slsijn/JTFE%20Vol4%20No1%202014/JTFE%20Vol4%20No1%202014-50.pdf

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https://www.dwc.gov.lk/protected-areas/

Classification of Protected Areas according to Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance

Strict Natural Reserve – 03

National Park – 25

Nature Reserve – 09

Jungle Corridor – 02

Marine National Park – 01

Marine Reserves – 00

Buffer zone – 00

Sanctuary or a Managed Elephant Reserve – 68 +1

Strict Natural Reserve (SNR)

Three (03) Strict Natural Reserves have been declared under the provisions of Fauna & Flora Protection Ordinance. (Haggala, Yala and Ritigala). As 1a of IUCN protected area category (Strict Nature Reserve), human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited in these areas to ensure protection of the conservation values. These areas are reference areas for monitoring of changes in outside due to the human impact and create unique habitats for endemic species (Point endemic). Entering into the SNR is prohibited but it is not restricted for the purpose of discharging any official duty or authorized scientific research. Both purposes can be deployed along with the permission of the Director General of Department of Wildlife Conservation.

National Park

Twenty Eight (25) National Parks have scattered throughout the country by providing scientific, educational, recreational and aesthetic opportunities to visitors. These areas are declared under the provisions of Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance. Visitors are allowed to enter the national park with permits in accordance with the conditions, issued by prescribed officer of Department of Wildlife Conservation on the payment of the prescribed fee. Yala and Wilpattuwa are the older National Parks of the country. Yala, Wilpattu, Horton plains and Udawalawa are the most visited national parks of the country. National parks such as Maduruoya, Udawalawa and Galoya were declared for the purposes of protection of catchment areas and to provide habitats for displaced animals due to the huge irrigation projects. Definition of National park is compatible with the category II of protected areas introduced by IUCN.

Nature Reserve

Nine (9) areas of state lands of the country have been declared as nature reserves under the provisions of the Fauna & Flora Protection Ordinance to preserve their natural conditions. Entering without a permit or carried out any harmful activity inside a nature reserve is prohibited. Therefore human influence has minimized in these areas and allowed to retain their natural characters as protected area category 1b of IUCN ( Wilderness Area)

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Red Faced Malkoha

The Red-faced Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus) belongs to the family Cuculidae which includes all the species of cuckoos and their allies. This family is noteworthy for their slender hawk like appearance, parasitic behavior and monotonously repeated calls.

There are three species of Malkoha’s in Sri Lanka: the Blue faced Malkoha, the Sirkeer Malkoha and the Red-faced Malkoha. The Red-faced Malkoha is endemic to Sri Lanka; however, there are anecdotal reports of this species occurring in the Western Ghats. This is yet to be justified with solid evidence.

Adult Red-faced Malkohas are black above, glossed with metallic green and blue. The feathers of the crown, nape and chin are flecked with white, the extent of which is subject to marked individual variation. The throat and breast are also black, but the rest of the under-parts are white. When viewed from underneath, as this species usually is, it appears strikingly black and white. The tail is long and graduated and (underneath) appears black at the base and distally white.

The crimson-red face is not bare, but composed of short, bristly hair-like feathers, and in many birds, this protrudes above the crown. The large, laterally compressed bill is apple-green, the lower mandible slightly paler, and is dusky towards the base and around the nostrils. Bold patterning coupled with long tail, red face and green bill makes this species distinctive and extra-ordinarily beautiful.

Most cuckoos are insect-eaters, and whilst the Red-faced Malkoha will snatch insects from the leaves of the canopy, a majority of its diet consists of fruit, especially berries. They move about in the canopy in small groups and form alliances with other species of birds when feeding (mixed species feeding flocks).

The Red-faced Malkoha is a canopy species and prefers the tops of tall trees in thick, undisturbed forest. It occasionally glides to the forest floor, but only in areas of particularly dense undergrowth.

The main threat to its survival is extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation, particularly in the wet zone, through logging, fuel wood collection, and the growing demand for land for agriculture purposes, gem mining, expanding human habitats and fire. As a primarily canopy-dwelling species, its survival has been particularly badly affected by the degradation of Protected Areas in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka Blue Magpie

The Sri Lanka Blue Magpie (Urocissa ornate) was first described in 1829 by Wagler and is a member of the crow family – the Corvidae. Crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers all belong to this family. Birds in the family Corvidae are considered the most intelligent birds in the world. The family Urocissa consists of five species, distributed throughout Asia, with the Sri Lankan blue magpie being endemic to Sri Lanka. This family (Urocissa) consists of some of the most brightly coloured birds in the world, and definitely the most brightly coloured in the family Corvidae.

The blue magpie is found in small groups of 3-7 birds. Their nest, usually situated on a tree or shrub, is made of sticks and is somewhat similar to the crow’s nest. They lay between 3-5 eggs, which are white with brown mottling.

It is found in the wet zone and upper montane regions of the island; however they are not found from the highest peaks.

It is an omnivorous bird and will feed on any sort of food matter; however it prefers to eat frogs, lizards, insects and other invertebrates.

The Sri Lankan Blue magpie population is dwindling, due to loss of habitat caused by extensive clearance and degradation of forests. The Sri Lankan Blue Magpie is legally protected in Sri Lanka.

The spot-winged thrush

The spot-winged thrush, (Geokichla spiloptera), is an Asian thrush, a group within the large thrush family Turdidae. It is an endemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka. This uncommon species breeds in hill rainforests, and to a lesser extent in drier woodlands, at altitudes between 500 and 2000 m. The wintering areas are similar but include less well-wooded areas, and are generally at 750 to 1500 m altitude. The spot-winged thrush is generally solitary and can be quite secretive, especially in the dense undergrowth and bamboo clumps it favours. Spot-winged thrushes are omnivorous, but eat far more insects than fruit. They feed on the ground.

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Global Dialogue on Wildlife Trafficking

The symposium highlighted a relatively unknown but a major and increasing threat to wild plants, animals and ecosystems of Sri Lanka as well as from other regions of the world- illegal trade in wild species and their parts and products, mostly extracted unsustainably whilst harming their natural habitats as well.

 The fifteen research papers of this symposium ranged from Trends in Transnational Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna with a focus on Sri Lanka; Trade in Freshwater fishes of Sri Lanka; Illegal Wildlife Trade as a Threat to Conservation in the transboundary landscape of Western Himalayas; Trade in Orchids, Endemic Lizards and star tortoises, Agarwood,  Sandalwood  and other protected and threatened species; the effectiveness of protection provided to endangered wild fauna under the Sri Lankan law as well as the potential of this trade contributing to biopiracy and introductions of alien invasive species to Sri Lanka.