‘Sri Lanka the Treasure Island’ special edition launched at World Crocodile Conference 2013

The special edition issue of the high profile international travel and tour magazine, ‘Sri Lanka the Treasure Island’, was launched at the World Crocodile Conference 2013, held at Goldi Sands Hotel Negombo on recently. Sri Lanka the Treasure Island, selected the official print media partner of the four-day international conference and symposium commenced on 20 May 2013. The first copy of the special edition was handed over to Crocodile Specialist Group of IUCN and SSC Chairman Dr. Graham Webb.

BIOLOGIC Environmental Survey in Australia Senior Zoologist Dr. Ruchira Somaweera, Amphibia and Reptile research organisation of Sri Lanka (ARROS) President Anslem de Silva and Wishwamitri River Project of Gujarat in India Raju Vyas were also presented with the complementary copies of the special edition of the magazine.

The four-day event under the theme, ‘Living with crocodilians’ attracted the participation of over 200 foreign delegates from Australia, USA, England, Germany, African countries, Iran, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Japan and the Philippines. Speaking at the event, Anslem said: “The 22nd working meeting of the crocodile specialist group, International Union for Conservation of Nature—Species Survival Commission (IUCN/SSC) was the biggest such event conducted in Sri Lanka. I have highlighted this fact in scientific literature and Sri Lanka could attract a huge number of tourists with the crocodile population in Sri Lanka.”

Early this year, Anslem bid for this year’s crocodile conference at the Manila Croc Symposium and he had been extended with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau and the Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services (LECS). Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, the Dept. of Wildlife Conservation and National Zoological Gardens have also extended their cooperation and assistance to associate with this international event. Sri Lanka has its best wild mugger concentrations in Yala. It is also the best such location in the world.