PROTECTED AREA OFFENCES IN SRI LANKA: A CASE STUDY OF THE KUMANA NATIONAL PARK AND PANAMA-KUDUMBIGALA SANCTUARY

Abstract

The effective management of the protected areas will play a pivotal role in conserving Sri Lanka’s biological diversity. Although the country’s protected area network is extensive and governed by a stringent set of laws and regulations, resource limitations for detecting and monitoring offences have hampered management efforts. This study focused on examining trends in the occurrence of offences in two protected areas, Kumana National Park and Panama-Kudumbigala Sanctuary, located adjacent to each other, in the southeastern region of Sri Lanka. Data relevant to offences relating to both protected areas were obtained from records lodged at the site office of the Department of Wildlife Conservation and covering a period of ten years (January 2010 to September 2019). Further information was gathered through informal interviews with park officials. The data on offences committed during the past decade revealed annual and monthly (and concomitantly seasonal) trends. The number of offences was highest, 41, in 2014, and lowest, 6, in 2010. The most common offences were trespassing, possession of game meat, possession of illegal firearms, illegal fishing, and forest clearing. Offences were more frequent during the latter half of the year (August to December). This pattern is most likely linked to the seasonality in rainfall and the availability of brackish water fishery resources. Several faunal species – Spotted deer (Axis axis), Black-headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), Flapshell turtle (Lissemys ceylonensis), Wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) were targeted; the elephant, by villagers mainly for self protection and safeguarding crops, and the others for bush meat by poachers. The highest month for offences related to game meat (August) coincided with the peak tourist season in Arugam Bay. The majority of the offenders were from Panama and Pottuvil, which are peripheral villages. The findings of the present study would be useful in managing the limited resources so as to alleviate the incidence of offences and address underlying driving forces. The latter would lead to more effective management of the protected areas in the long term