Jetwing Vil Uyana celebrates ten years of Loris conservation

When the first Northern Grey Slender Loris was glimpsed at a forest patch at Jetwing’s Vil Uyana resort in 2010, few could have guessed the significance of the sighting and all the conservation effort that was to follow on the heels of the elusive nocturnal primate.

This week Jetwing Hotels celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the Loris Conservation efforts at Jetwing Vil Uyana. Prompt action by the management saw development plans for the forest patch shelved, and the area comprising rich vegetation was declared as Jetwing Vil Uyana’s loris conservation site, the first conservation area in the island dedicated to this often-neglected animal.

As the Loris population thrived in the newly declared site, Chaminda Jayasekara, environmentalist cum Assistant Manager at the landmark resort, embarked on a research project that has shed new light on the its secretive habitats as well as produced several publications on the Loris.

As the Loris Night Trail which takes guests on an exciting nocturnal guided tour gained popularity, the Loris Conservation Fund was put in place to further conservation initiatives as well as create awareness among the villagers. A community library and wildlife awareness centre has been constructed for school children of the area.

Today, as the Loris conservation project celebrates its 10 year anniversary it has cemented its place as the premier destination in Sri Lanka to observe the Loris in its natural habitat, with Jetwing Vil Uyana hosting videographers from renowned international organisations such as BBC Wild and National Geographic.

Jetwing looks forward to welcoming more wildlife enthusiasts to discover this elusive creature at the resort in Dambulla!

The Northern Grey Slender Loris

Jetwing Vil Uyana