Urgent need to better administration of wildlife parks and sanctuaries

The recent sighting of a melanistic black leopard cub at the Yala National Park has caused excitement particularly among wildlife enthusiasts. Given the rarity of the sighting of this species, the enthusiasm to see it in its natural environment is understandable but given the lackadaisical attitude of park administrators and the behaviour of some visitors, there is serious cause for concern for the well-being of this animal.

These concerns have been expressed by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPSL) which has urged the public to act responsibly at this critical juncture given the sighting of an incredibly rare melanistic leopard.

The WNPS also advised those keen to travel to Yala to see the animal not to overrun the park to get the perfect photographs and encouraged those who have already witnessed this sighting to avoid publishing its whereabouts on social media to minimise its exposure.

There are serious problems with the administration of the Yala National Park and these have cropped up from time to time with those in charge of running the park unable to enforce rules that are needed to maintain the sanctity of a nature reserve so that the animals are safeguarded and their needs are prioritised. Most jeep operators and visitors who use privately owned vehicles often rule the roost within the park with scant regard for the wellbeing of the animals and this puts not only the life of the animals under serious threat but those of visitors too.

Any visitor to Yala knows that jeep operators are in constant communication so that word of any sighting of a leopard or a bear is soon passed around and this results in speeding vehicles rushing to the scene and surrounding the animal traumatising it. There was also the recent incident at Yala where some VIP brats raced inside the National Park but investigations into the incident have all but dried up. There are allegations that the park opens its doors outside opening hours for certain VIP visitors and allows them into unauthorised areas of the park.

There is much Sri Lanka can learn from other countries including India where the country’s tiger reserves operate under strict rules. The frequency of vehicles entering safari parks are strictly regulated so that no undue stress is caused to animals while it’s mandatory for vehicles to maintain a distance of 10 metres from an animal. The number of vehicles entering the parks are also strictly regulated so as to avoid overcrowding. Most countries in Africa which are popular for wildlife safaris enforce strict rules for visitors and have laws that ensure that the animals are protected. 

For a country the size of Sri Lanka, we are blessed with unique fauna ranging from elephants to leopards to deer to over 400 species of birds making the country a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. These are natural resources that can be harnessed to become a massive income generator but such natural assists are unfortunately taken for granted, neglected and abused. Already elephants and leopards are under threat due to decline in their habitats as humans encroach more and more into their territory which makes it even more important that areas designated as national parks and sanctuaries become areas animals can roam freely without being subject to harassment and trauma by human intervention.

“All species possess the right to roam their territory undisturbed, and if we run this vulnerable species to the ground, we may never catch a glimpse of it again,” the WNPS warned in its statement after the sighting of the black leopard. These are words that must be heeded seriously by authorities while visitors need to act responsibly so that their enjoyment does not come at the cost of trauma, harm and harassment of the animals.