LOLC‘s continuous mission to save Sri Lanka’s apex predator

Above: Ms. Hannah Gormley, UK-based Wildlife Field Director and Mr. Noah Falklind, Wildlife Cinematographer; with Mr. Kithsiri Gunawardena, Chief Operating Officer of LOLC Holdings PLC; alongside officials from LOLC and the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS).

LOLC Holdings PLC, in celebration of Sri Lankan Leopard Day on August 1, 2025, has reinforced its enduring commitment to the protection of the Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya), a critically threatened apex predator found only on this island. As the driving force behind one of the nation’s most extensive and impactful conservation initiatives, LOLC continues to spearhead a results-oriented, research-led programme that moves decisively beyond awareness into lasting, on-ground intervention, the company said in a media release.

At the heart of this mission is the multi-regional Leopard Research and Conservation Project, launched in 2022, in partnership with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS). With six active conservation zones spanning Labukale, Maskeliya, Norwood, Wellawaya, Monaragala, and Pusellawa, this initiative combines field research, community engagement, snare removal, and biodiversity protection. Over Rs. 10.6 million has been invested to date, establishing the project as one of the largest privately funded leopard conservation efforts in Sri Lanka.

In the lead-up to Sri Lankan Leopard Day 2025, LOLC hosted an advance internal conservation discussion, featuring global voices in wildlife protection. Ms. Hannah Gormley, UK-based Wildlife Field Director, and Noah Falklind, renowned Wildlife Cinematographer, joined LOLC’s Chief Operating Officer Kithsiri Gunawardena in a discussion highlighting the urgency of protecting Sri Lanka’s last remaining leopards. “This leopard isn’t just a symbol of Sri Lanka’s wild, it’s our living heritage. Ensuring its survival is non-negotiable,” emphasised Mr. Gunawardena.

Adding a global perspective, Ms. Gormley remarked, “Conservation doesn’t rest solely on scientists, it demands collective responsibility. LOLC’s work through WNPS is a model of what corporate-led environmental stewardship can achieve.” Mr. Falklind resonated these sentiments, noting, “The Sri Lankan Leopard is not only ecologically vital, it holds emotional, cultural, and economic significance. LOLC’s efforts are inspiring and critical.”