Srilal talks to students at New Pinnawela Zoo

The new Pinnawela Open Air Zoo organised a full day workshop for schoolchildren of the Kegalle area. This was the first educational program that the zoo had organised, under the able guidance of Director Renuka Bandaranayake. Over 150 children from six different schools participated. 

The program included many interactive and field activities during the entire day and the highlight was a presentation cum lecture made by Srilal Miththapala, wildlife and elephant enthusiast in wildlife photography. 

In his presentation, Miththapala gave a brief introduction to digital photography and discussed the basics of managing focal length, aperture and shutter speed. He then illustrated his talk with some of the photographs from his son Dimitri’s and his vast collection of wildlife pictures. He discussed the background thinking that had gone in for each example taken, in the composition and using the appropriate light, and how shutter speed and aperture had been used. 

He concluded by emphasising the great importance of being ethical in wildlife photography, which included the following dos and don’ts:

• View wildlife from a safe distance
• Be very patient and never force any action
• Never come between a parent and its offspring
• Do not crowd or pursue animals 
• Never entice animals to come close by feeding them 
• Acquainting with animal behaviours and ecosystems 
• And most importantly, that the welfare of the subject and habitat is always more important than the photographs

There was unanimous positive feedback and great interest shown by the schoolchildren.