WNPS monthly lecture tomorrow to reveal the untold story of Sri Lanka’s wild dog

The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) will hold its May monthly lecture tomorrow (16 May) at 6.00 p.m. at the Jasmine Hall, BMICH.

The lecture titled “The Way of the Jackal: The Untold Story of Sri Lanka’s Wild Dog” will be delivered by Uthpalawarna Jayaweera, Prof. Sampath Seneviratne and Chandika Jayaratne.

Uthpalawarna Jayaweera is a Science graduate majoring in Zoology at the Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, University of Colombo. She is a keen researcher who studies carnivore ecology and evolution. 

Prof. Sampath Seneviratne is attached to the University of Colombo. He also is a research scientist, a forester, a conservationist, and a public communicator. Sampath spends time in forests across the globe, mostly away from popular places. He loves birding, tracking wildlife and planting. 

Chandika Jayaratne is a graduate from the University of Staffordshire in the UK. He pursued a career within the field of hospitality and environmental stewardship. He also has a research background where he studies the ecology of Rusty-spotted Cat and Jackal.

WNPS said Sri Lanka’s jackal is the only island subspecies of the Eurasian Golden Jackal across its range. Historically, it was even considered a species endemic to Sri Lanka. It is the sole wild dog on the island and stands as the third-largest carnivore present; only second to the charismatic Leopard and the sluggish Sloth Bear. These features already make it an iconic species, but for some reason, it has been overlooked. Photographers have missed its stunning moves, artists have forgotten to paint it, tourists hardly ask for sightings, and scientists failed to study it. Instead, the narrative of our ‘Nariya’ is abandoned to folklore—a cunning, selfish creature, a forgotten soul that nobody really likes. 

‘The Way of the Jackal’, aims to provide a comprehensive review of our jackal and elevate its status as a high-value entity for wildlife tourism. The three speakers who authored “The Way of the Jackal” will provide a detailed description of the species, including, its taxonomic history, size, dietary ecology, behaviour, vocalisation, social organisation, and distribution. Furthermore, this talk will discuss the causes for their disappearance from our neighbourhoods, its consequences and the nature of human-jackal interactions. 

By placing the Nariya of the rural folk in the limelight, this book will serve as a catalyst for awareness, research, conservation, and harnessing the economic potential of the wild dog of Sri Lanka.

The Nations Trust WNPS Monthly Lecture is open to all, entrance free.