Endemic Animals to Sri Lanka

Hospitality, Tourism & Events Management Uva Wellassa University

Sri Lanka

Chinese cultural Symbol

Environment protecting

initiator

A Diplomatic superstar

Major Tourist

Attractor

ENDEMICITY

 Endemism is a term used in ecology to describe the propensity of plants and animals to be naturally confined to a given geographical area.

Today, the term is mainly used to describe species, and also subspecies, genera or other levels of classification.

Basically endemism is the result of the combination of evolution and geographical isolation. When a population of plants or animals becomes isolated for a long period of time from other populations of the same species, it will diverge as it evolves separately, and eventually form a separate species.

There are four categories of endemics

Endemics

Point Endemics Biotapes Endemics in political areas

Endemics in Biogeographical regions

1. Point Endemics Grown only in particular area and they should be conserved for their

restricted distribution.

2. Biotapes Species restricted to combination of especial physical, geographic, and

climatic area.

3. Endemics in Biogeographical regions Biogeographical regions are large land masses. Endemics in these areas are

associated with climate, soil, etc.

4. Endemics in political areas Species that are defined to political area. EASL is Endemics Animals of Sri

Lanka is a most commonly used term to introduce endemic fauna as well flora

What are endemic species?

An endemic species is one whose habitat is restricted to a particular area.

The term could refer to an animal, a plant, a fungus, or even a microorganism.

Endemic species are often endangered.

Why endemics are important?

Since endemic species have a generally restricted distribution, threats to endemics carry more risk of extinction than for broadly distributed species.

When an endemic plant species becomes extinct, it takes with it between 10 and 30 endemic animal species.

Some endemics of distinct regions may function as a sort of “collective insurance” for continued genetic diversity in the face of rapid changes.

Endemic species are a focus for the conservation of biological diversity.

 How Endemic Species Arise

An initially widely distributed population may disappear from many of its habitats, due to changes which have occurred.

These could be climate changes, an influx of predators, or human activities. Eventually, the organism may be confined to just one area; this type is known as a pale endemic species.

Alternatively, various factors could cause two populations of a given species to become isolated from one another.

They cannot interbreed with one another, and eventually they are sufficiently different from one another to be classified as separate species. These are known as neo-endemic species.

ENDEMIC ANIMALS

Main island of Sri Lanka is home to 16 endemic mammals. Reptiles are the most divers vertebrate group of Sri Lanka.

Endemic Animals in Sri Lanka

Toque macaque Red slender loris Layard's palm squirrel Mayor's mouse Nillu rat Ahaetulla nasuta Ahaetulla pulverulenta

Argyrogena fasciolata Adenomus dasi Duttaphrynus scaber Sri Lankan long-tailed shrew Jungle shrew Golden palm civet Yellow-striped chevrotain

ENDEMIC MAMMALS Main island of Sri Lanka is home to 16 endemic mammals. Number

of terrestrial mammals that have been recorded from the country is 91.

Additionally there are 28 marine mammals in the oceans surrounding the island.

Being an island Sri Lanka lacks land area to supports large animals. However fossil evidence of large archaic species of Rhinoceroses, Hippopotamuses, and Lions have been discovered.

For Sri Lanka, small mammals are of special importance as they constitute a notable portion of the mammalian fauna of the country.

Of the 91 species of mammals. recorded in the country, 31 are rodents and shrews.

Of the 91 species of mammals. recorded in the country, 31 are rodents and shrews.

Furthermore, they are also of significant importance in biological point of view, as they make up largely to the country's endemic faunal component

Endemic birds of Sri Lanka

Endemic birds of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is home to 26 endemic bird species and seven proposed endemic species.

The total number of bird species recorded in the island is 492 of which 219 are breeding residents.

Sri Lanka spur fowl

Sri Lankan jungle fowl

Sri Lanka whistling thrush

Sri Lanka hill myna

Sri Lanka blue magpie

Sri Lanka wood pigeon

HOW COUNTRIES USE THEIR ENDEMIC ANIMALS TO PROMOTE TOURISM

Annual Endemic Animal Festival organized by St. Martin.

Birding in the Drakensberg

Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival

Wild Life Safaris.

Travel for the researches about endemic animals.

Photography of Endemic Animals

HOW SRI LANKA USE THEIR ENDEMIC ANIMALS TO PROMOTE TOURISM

Wild Life Safaries.

-Yala National Park

-Minneriya National Park Bird watching

-Yala National Park

-Kumana Bird Sanctuary Photography. For research about endemic animals in Sri Lanka

-Sinharaja Rain Forest

-Horton Plains National Park

Importance of endemic Animals and birds to Tourism Industry

SUGESSIONS TO PROMOTE ENDEMIC ANIMALS AS A TOURISM ACTIVITY.

Sri Lanka can organize Endemic Animal Festivals. Can organize international photography competitions about endemic

animals. Promote endemic marine life in effective way. Can organize international seminars. Open endemic zoo. Lounge tourist magazines regarding endemic animals.

Negative impacts

Direct impacts

Disturbing breeding patterns

Disturbing feeding patterns

Disruption of parent-offspring bonds

Increased vulnerability to predators and competitors

Positive Impacts

Habitat restoration by eco-lodges and other tourism operations

Conservation breeding

Quality interpretation

Research and monitoring

Anti-poaching

Government Intervention National Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan (BCAP)

The BCAP preparatory process was intensely participatory, involving consultations and meetings

with a large body of stakeholders of biodiversity, including state agencies, over 100 NGOs and

others. The draft BCAP was then reviewed at several workshops with heads of state departments,

particularly those with a mandate for implementation of the BCAP, NGOs, CBOs, researchers and

university personnel.

Ministry Of Mahaweli Development and Environment

Department of Wild Life Conservation

Department of Forest Conservation

Ministry of Tourism

Special Projects to Protect Endemics of Sri Lanka

National Red Listing Animals – workshops

Sri Lanka Wilderness Foundation

Sinharaja Reforestation & Educational Project Sinharaja Carbon offset Tree Planting Project Turtle conservation project at Rekawa/Kosgoda/Kalpitiya

Suggestions for Conservation

In March 1994 the Sri Lankan Government joined to the international community, in pledging their support to implement the United Nations Conservation on Bio Diversity at the Earth Summit.

Teaching Sri Lankan Bio Diversity and its importance to the school children in School – formal education system as a new subject area

Minimizing habitat loss and protecting the saved habitats should be done. Continuous studies should be monitored on habitat management in protect areas as well as other ecosystems with high bio diversity

As most of the Sri Lankan commune has connections with the Bio Diversity in their day today life.

We can use people with their indigenous knowledge for the protection and sustainable development of environment with protecting bio diversity for future generations

Poverty, which is a great problem in Sri Lanka also, has become a major threat to the environment. This can be resolved by giving solutions for the economic problems.

Good improvement of the usage of traditional knowledge and making the responsibility of villagers to take care of the important ecosystems nearby them is lead to local protection of bio diversity.

Thank You !