Land Rover partners for wildlife conservation

Land Rover has announced their involvement in wildlife conservation through the ‘We Care’ program which aims to partner with on-going projects that help to reduce human-animal conflict in Sri Lanka.

Conflict between people and animals is one of the main threats to the continued survival of many species in different parts of the world, and is also a significant threat to local human population. If the solutions to conflicts are not adequate, local support for conservation will also decline. As human population expands and natural habitats shrink, people and animals are increasingly coming into conflict over living space and food.

In Sri Lanka, over 50 people are killed by elephants each year. Elephants are thus often killed in retaliation. Over the last 100 years, the population of Asian elephants have declined to between 35,000 and 50,000 from 100,000. Habitat loss and conflict with people are among the biggest threats to their continued survival.

As with elephants, the human-leopard conflict is also a pressing issue. It is prevalent in the rural communities located around the Yala National Park. The locals depend on livestock for their survival and thus resent the intrusion. As a result, angry villagers seeking justice often take matters in to their own hands and sadly, within the last two years about five leopards were found poisoned by herders, following leopard attacks to their herds. This vicious cycle puts pressure on the numbers of the endemic species that are constantly dwindling.

Over the past decades, Land Rover has enjoyed a successful and rewarding partnership with nature conservation through the Born Free Foundation and the Thread Lightly Organisation globally. The origins of the Born Free Foundation’s relationship with Land Rover dates all the way back to 1966, when Land Rover vehicles were featured in the film ‘Born Free’. The requirement was then as it is now, using Land Rover vehicles to reach wildlife in the most remote locations whilst educating generations. Land Rover will reinforce these values whilst joining together with Project Orange Elephant and The Leopard Project in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society and Colombo Jewellery Stores established ‘Project Orange Elephant’ with the aim of finding a solution for the human-elephant conflict. The idea revolves around the use of acidic oranges that elephants find distasteful. However, the Bibile Sweet Orange commands a high value in the open market such as bottled orange drinks, wines, jams, and concentrated cordials. 

By planting these oranges, farmers will keep away the elephants but still make a living for their families. Land Rover will help in the challenge of raising funds for the SLWCS and in the education of Project Orange Elephant.

The Leopard Project is an on-going conservation initiative in Yala together with Cinnamon Nature Trails naturalists. The ‘Steel Pen’ distribution among farmers to protect their cattle is a concept initiated and designed to minimise the human-leopard conflict, executed and monitored by Cinnamon Nature Trails. The Steel Pens are designed to keep away the Leopards whilst protecting the cattle. Land Rover will aid in the purchase, transport and distribution of these Steel Pens in the hope of minimalising the conflict.

Land Rover is proud to announce their role in protecting and finding solutions to these major conflicts. Alongside, Colombo Jewellery Stores and Cinnamon Nature Trails, Land Rover hopes to give a voice to conservation in Sri Lanka believing that each and everyone can make a difference to the issues at hand. 

Land Rover will have a special UV signature wall at Colombo Fashion Week where everyone is invited to place his or her names. For every name garnered, Land Rover will donate to the causes above. Join them, as they start this important journey, at the Park Street Mews on 20 February during the Launch Party of Colombo Fashion Week 2016.