News
Dried-out watering holes prompt wildlife parks to consider brief closure
Wilpattu wildlife park workers clearing a dried pond to fill it with water brought from bowsers. Pix by Hiran Priyankara
The Wildlife Department is awaiting the Government’s response to its proposal that the wildlife parks affected by the drought be temporarily shut down for visitors.
Ranjan Marasinghe, Acting Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), told the Sunday Times that they are awaiting a policy decision from the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Reserve Conservation.
He said the proposal and the requirement should be carefully reviewed by the ministry, taking into consideration the management of parks and the impact on the tourism industry.
Mr. Marasinghe, who is also the DWC’s Director (Operations), pointed out that the parks were normally temporarily closed for visitors for nearly six weeks annually to reduce the stress on animals and allow them to revert to their normal behaviours.
“We can close the parks according to the proposal and re-open them for visitors before six weeks if the situation improves. This will allow parks to recover and reduce the impact on tourism,” he added.
Meanwhile, the park officials of Udawalawe, Wilpattu, and Yala have proposed to the DWC to temporarily close the tourist areas of the parks, which have sustained serious damage due to drought, Yala National Park warden Manoj Vidiyaratne said.
The watering holes and tanks within parks were also drying off. The visitors and the safari vehicle drivers also complained of dry tanks and watering holes.
Mr. Vidiyaratne pointed out that the drought situation had seriously affected Yala National Park, which had not received rain for 110 days.
He said the grasslands and shrubs within block one of the park had withered and died.
“Only 10 out of the 20 tanks hold water; those tanks too have 25% water remaining. Seventy-five percent of the 30 natural watering holes are completely dry, while the remainder holds 10% water,’’ he said.
A bear searching for water in the parched lands of Wilpattu.
He said they provide water to tanks, natural watering holes, and 45 concrete ponds using three bowsers and an 18-kilometre-long solar-powered pipeline stretching from Manik Ganga to the Palatupana area of the park.
“The heavy sun and dry wind cause faster evaporation. Therefore, the 100,000 litres of water we provide to the park daily disappear quickly.’’
Mr. Vidiyaratne said block one, which is frequented by tourists, has been worst affected, with the operation of safari jeeps worsening the damage. He proposed the temporary closure of the park’s block one from August 15 to September 30, 2023.
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