Junior Zoologists celebrate 10th Anniversary

The Young Zoologists' Association's junior section celebrated its 10th anniversary in October. Junior YZA has been established with the aim of seeding the need to "Protect Nature" in the young minds and carrying out its aims successfully.

Junior Zoologists meet on Saturdays at the zoo, twice a month. The kids are taught simple facts about the identification of animals and how to appreciate nature around them. There are several field trips to wildernesses, which allow them to have a close encounter with wildlife. Additionally, Junior YZA is also developing the various skills of these kids. The paintings and sketches done by Junior Zoologists are really commendable. To celebrate this success, YZA has also printed 5 postcards using illustrations of 5 young artists who emerged as a result of Junior YZA.

This article is published on SundayTimes kids section - FundayTimes on 08.11.2009. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/091108/FunDay/fut_06.html

Young zoologists go wild again - KinWild 2009

‘Kin Wild 2009': an exhibition on wildlife paintings and sketches by Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA) will exclusively comprise of work of art by its members.

This is the 16th wildlife arts exhibition by YZA and the only exhibition of this nature in Sri Lanka that has been held continuously for over a decade. The works produced by contributing youngsters are of very high standard and can be kept abreast with the work of renowned artists in the field. All these young artists are trained under the senior instructors of YZA on Wildlife Arts.

Over 75 paintings and sketches will be on display at the Exhibition. YZA welcomes all the nature lovers to come and watch the KIN WILD 2009. The Exhibition will be on at the British Council Auditorium from December 16-19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A mountain - sized headache at SriPada

This is the article published on SundayTimes based on YZA's polythene removal campaign. Please visit http://sundaytimes.lk/080601/Plus/plus00001.html for the complete article.

Boutique-owner Ranjith, who has a temporary stall along the path that winds up Sri Pada, is tired of telling pilgrims not to litter the holy mountain.“However much we tell people not to drop garbage along the way, they continue to do so,” says the frustrated vendor as he points to a teenager who has just tossed a biscuit wrapper over his shoulder. Picked up by the breeze, it is deposited further up the path.

A fading signboard with Sinhala lettering hanging outside Ranjith’s boutique says: “Don’t Leave Garbage Lying Around”. The vendor looks almost resigned as he packs his goods. This is the last day of the pilgrim season. The expression on his face suggests that he does not expect things to improve much when he returns for the next season.
Environment awareness-raising efforts have clearly not succeeded with the majority of the thousands of visitors who climb Sri Pada every year, according to the vendor. More drastic steps are required. “Fines are what we need,” he says.

Garbage on Sri Pada has been a festering problem for many years now. Polythene and plastic odds and ends disposed of by visitors litter the mountain all the way, posing a long-term threat to the Peak Wilderness, one of the country’s pristine ecosystems. According to regulars who visit Sri Pada, the garbage problem was a lot worse in the past, but thanks to environment protection efforts by various organisations and concerned parties, the problem has been brought under some control, but a lot remains to be done. Visitors still continue to litter the sacred mountain.
But others are hopeful and say there is a simple solution to the problem: Ask the visitors to bring back with them the litter they generate on their journey. One group actively involved in cleaning up Sri Pada is the Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA). During a recent litter-clearing operation, YZA members noted that more than 75 percent of the garbage found on the mountain comprised plastic bottles and toffee and biscuit wrappers.

Young Zoologists Clean Sri Pada

‘‘Wesak Dansel" was common around the country in all cities and villages. Fried rice, Ice cream, Coffee, Kadala, pineapple, Manioc – you name it, Wesak dansal offered all them for free. But it was members’ own labor the Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA) offered on wesak day for a worthy environmental cause. Members of YZA climbed Sripada and brought down polythene and plastic items, that was piled up alone the path. The climb was never been easy and collecting the scattered items, bending frequently is hard. Climbing down the steps carrying heavy bags full of polythene and plastics are beyond the capacity of the tired knees of many. But the members of Young Zoologists driven by strong urge to clean this environmentally sensitive terrain dared the challenge.

Among the collected garbage, mega plastic bottles and wrappers were on top. “It is sad that there were lot of toffee wrappers thrown away, which can easily be put back into the pocket itself. These wrappers are not messy like lunch sheet and indeed not heavy” commented Pubudu weerarathne, president of YZA. Young Zoologists who are based at National Zoological Gardens initiated their Sripada cleaning campaign in 1998 becoming pioneers in highlighting this issue. They have conducted several cleaning programs and awareness campaigns at Sri Pada.