Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday Nov 15, 2024
Saturday, 7 December 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Peace in Sri Lanka is being reflected in a vigorous rebound in tourism, and, the eco-tourism industry has justifiably and proudly announced the attractions of Sri Lanka’s ‘Big Five’ the Asian elephant, the leopard, the sloth bear, the blue whale, and the sperm whale an assemblage of charismatic mammals unique in the world.
These species can easily hold their own against Africa’s Big Five and the fact that these animals can be seen in and around a small island nation is remarkable. However, the full extent of interest in Sri Lanka’s mammal fauna encompasses a far greater variety over 125 species, in fact.
Many of these are not prominent creatures of forest and plain like the iconic species but small, sometimes cryptic animals that share Sri Lanka with its human inhabitants. Nevertheless, each of these mammals has a vital ecological role to play in our landscape. The magnificent Asian elephant may affect human life more than the humble ‘nillu rat’ but each is vital to the country in its own way.
The new book ‘Mammals of Sri Lanka’ gives equal value to all of Sri Lanka’s mammals and provides descriptions that are as comprehensive as current knowledge allows. The last comprehensive work on the island’s mammal fauna was the classic ‘Manual of the Mammals of Ceylon’ by W.W.A. Phillips in 1935, which has long been out of print.
This new book is in stunning full colour and is proudly printed and bound in Sri Lanka using ecologically responsible papers and inks. Published by the Field Ornithology Group (FOGSL) of the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, it has 1,012 pages, possesses an embossed hard cover and a colour dust jacket.
The book was launched on Friday 6 December, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, No. 100 Sri Lanka Padanama Mawatha, Independence Square, Colombo 7. One of the two authors, Asoka Yapa, was present at this event.
Comprehensively illustrated
Yapa’s and Ratnavira’s book has several unique features. For the first time it carries colour illustrations of almost all of Sri Lanka’s mammal species. Indeed, there are illustrations even of new species that are proposed as endemic additions to the island’s fauna. A possible new loris, a new chevrotain, and a new beaked whale are among the animals pictured. These colour illustrations are by world-renowned wildlife artist Gamini Ratnavira and by excellent Sri Lankan photographers.
For the first time there are distribution maps for the land mammals. Illustrations of scat and spoor are provided for many species, after all those are often the only signs left by a wild animal. Dive sequences are given for the larger whales in order to aid identification.
Bringing all these together is Asoka Yapa’s clearly written 225,000 word text which is aimed at the interested wildlife enthusiast but gives no quarter to any scientific paper in terms of the accuracy and currency of information. Indeed, the text has been thoroughly reviewed by world experts such as Prof. Brock Fenton (bats) and Prof. Hal Whitehead (the great sperm whale).
Taxonomy
Each taxonomic order of mammals in Sri Lanka is introduced in its evolutionary, taxonomic, and ecological contexts. Family descriptions follow, after which are species by species accounts that cover morphology, behaviour, ecology, diet, reproduction, distribution within Sri Lanka, and conservation status and concerns.
Where there are significant differences among subspecies within the island, these are described and illustrated. There are also sections on Sri Lanka’s biogeography as it relates to mammals, an historical review of Sri Lanka’s mammal literature, an important 500+ entry bibliography for those who want to pursue further information, the Sinhala and Tamil names of every single species, coverage of mammals introduced to Sri Lanka, dental formulae, life lists, even poetry. There has never been anything like this book!
Books are priced at Rs. 7,500. ‘The Mammals of Sri Lanka’ is available at leading bookstores around the island. Further information can be obtained by contacting Anoma Perera or Indrika KaggodaAarachchi of the FOGSL at 011 2501332 or 011 2592609.
