from KinWild 2009 - Common Iora

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.

Nymphaea nouchali - National Flower of Sri Lanka

Nymphaea nouchali is the National of Sri Lanka where it is known as Nil Mānel. Since "Nil" means ‘blue’ in Sinhala Sinhala, the Sinhalese name of this plant is often rendered as "Blue Lotus" in English.

In Sri Lanka this plant usually grows in buffalo ponds and natural wetlands. This aquatic plant is native to the Indian Subcontinent area. It was spread to other countries already in ancient times and has been long valued as a garden flower in Thailand and Myanmar to decorate ponds and gardens.

In its natural state the Red and blue water-lily is found in static or slow-flowing aquatic habitats of little to moderate depth.

Freshwater Fish of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka`s known freshwater species include 90 fish (with twenty-six endemics), yet ongoing studies suggest that the number of undescribed species is potentially quite large. Most of these fish are small and highly specialised to their habitat. Several fish species of an endemic barb genus, Puntius, are considered vulnerable, these include P. cumingii, P. nigrofasciatus, P. martenstyni, P. pleurotaenia, and P. titteya. One species, P. bandula, is critically endangered. Rare endemic species include the Jonklaas loach (Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi), Rasporas (Rasbora wilpita, R. vaterifloris), and the spotted Gourami (Malphuhutta kretseri). Threats Deforestation for fuel wood and agriculture, in stream habitat alteration, introduced species, pesticide use, and collection of fish for aquarium trade has damaged parts of the freshwater ecosystem. A number of species adapted to still or slow-water environments are threatened by conversion of habitats for rice cultivation.

Tapirs of the world

Family: Tapiridae

Tapirs are distributed in the Americas and in Malaysia. Their upper lip has been evolved as a trunk, which comes with its unique feature to indulge on water plants. There are 4 species reported in this Family. All four of them prefer aquatic, swampy areas, while one lives on mountains. Tapirs are very important in the balance of the aquatic environments. From the four Tapirs, 3 lives in the American Continent, while one species lives in the Asian Continent (Java, Sumathra, Malaysia). Gestation period is about 10 months.

Brazilian Tapir - Tapirus terrestris Dark brown in colour. External ears are relatively large. A long mane of hair could be observed behind the neck, which will be puffed out in danger. Consist of three toes, which help to move through the marshy lands easily without sinking. 180-250cm in body length, where height to the shoulder is around 75cm. Weighing around 150-300kg. The distribution of Tapirs in America is through the low plains to the Amazon rainforest. As natural predators; Jaguar, Puma, and Anaconda for baby Tapirs. Even the natives hunt for their meat.

Mountain Tapir - Tapirus pinchaque The body colour ranges from dark brown to black varies. Body length in 180-250cm. Lives in low plains in the Andes and East of Columbia mountains. Body size is much smaller than the ones living in low lands. A strong body is an adaptation for living in the mountains. The mountain grasslands are the main diet areas, other than that they take in fruits as well. As a natural predator, Puma can be significant.

Baird’s Tapir - Tapirus bairdii This is the largest of all the Tapirs. Body colour is light brown. These Tapirs lives in swampy areas in South America and Mexico. The babies are attacked by Caimans and Anacondas too.

Summary of Mammals' Group Lecture - 25.Oct.2009. Sketch from http://howstuffworks.com/