News
Documenting the life and times of Sinharaja’s unique elephant brothers
View(s):- Valuable insights to be gained as Dilmah joins DWC to track and video Loku Aliya & Panu Kota
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi
Theirs maybe the final trumpet call Sri Lanka would hear from within the Sinharaja Rainforest, as they are a ‘unique pair’ within an already ‘unique’ area.
The last of the two Sinharaja elephants, ‘Loku Aliya’ and ‘Panu Kota’ thus named by the villagers who have seen them roaming this UNESCO World Heritage Site and global biodiversity hotspot, had many man-made dangers, including translocation (to be taken from their home to another place) in the not-too-distant past, which fortunately came to naught.
With many a protest and plea from environmentalists to “let them be” in their habitat which is Sinharaja, which in its own right is unique, these rainforest elephants are unique too.
This is why Dilmah of tea fame has partnered with the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) to “track” and “document” whatever information can be gathered about this pair who are believed to be brothers.
rofessors Nimal and Savitri Gunatilleke with the students of the Eheliyagoda Central College
Such tracking and video documenting the movements of these elephants could offer invaluable insights into protecting the Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) that has been declared ‘Endangered’ under the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Dilmah and DWC firmly believe.
The initiative was aptly launched at a simple ceremony on World Elephant Day (last Monday, August 12) at the Uda Walawe Elephant Transit Home (ETH) amidst a group of scientists and conservationists.
Those who were present included Professors Nimal and Savitri Gunatilleke, well-known for their landmark work on the Sinharaja Forest Complex; DWC ranger and conservationist Kapila Ranukanda who is working in the Sinharaja area and DWC’s Anil Withanage.
DWC’s Anil Withanage speaking to students on the Peak Wilderness elephant herd.
“This ‘conservation documentary’ could prove a powerful tool for education and awareness. The plan is to screen the video in schools in areas where the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is an everyday reality,” a spokesperson said.
He stressed that elephants are known as “ecosystem engineers” helping maintain ecosystems by creating habitats for smaller creatures, dispersing seeds, creating water holes, distributing nutrients and supporting pollinators. Education and awareness can play a crucial role in elephant conservation by creating a deeper understanding and appreciation for these majestic and ecologically-important creatures, among villagers.
DWC’s Kapila Ranukanda sharing his experiences of tracking the Sinharaja elephant duo
With regard to the possible dangers that Loku Aliya and Panu Kota could face, Prof. Nimal Gunatilleke said that nearly 65% of plant and tree species endemic to Sri Lanka are under threat and some of them are near extinction, while others are endangered and vulnerable. These two elephants relish kitul or the
fishtail palm.
If kitul starts dying off at Sinharaja, what would be the impact on Loku Aliya and Panu Kota, he asked, going into the past to look at different scenarios such as large-scale hunting in the Horton Plains during the colonial era, leading to elephant extinction there.
Meanwhile, this is not the maiden initiative of Dilmah Tea through Dilmah Conservation, for it has joined hands with the DWC for over a decade in several elephant conservation efforts. Earlier support includes the radio-collaring of two elephants in Yala; building the ‘Elephant Knowledge Walk’ information centre at Uda Walawe’s ETH to educate the public; and sponsoring three baby elephants – ‘Ted’, ‘Amaya’ and ‘Baby Dilmah’ – over the years, until their release into the wild from the ETH. Currently, Dilmah is the sponsor of baby elephant ‘Dilly’.
| Who are these brothers? Who are these elephant brothers – Loku Aliya and Panu Kota? Loku Aliya, believed to be in his 40s, is the elder brother, while Panu Kota, in his 30s, is the younger, with a five-six year age-gap between the two. Even though they are of the same species found outside Sinharaja, they are physiologically smaller in size, reportedly as a result of having to adapt to a rainforest habitat. | |
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