Draft:Poaching in Sri Lanka
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Poaching in Sri Lanka refers to the illegal hunting, killing, capture, or trade of protected wildlife species, in violation of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance and related environmental laws. This activity threatens Sri Lanka’s biodiversity—particularly endemic and endangered species—and undermines national conservation and economic development efforts.
Legal and institutional framework
[edit]Sri Lanka’s primary legislation regulating wildlife protection is the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance No. 2 of 1937, which prohibits the hunting, possession, and trade of designated species and their derivatives, as well as the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No. 2 of 1996.[1][2]
- Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC): Manages national parks, employs rangers and beat officers.[3]
- Department of Forest Conservation (DFC): Protects forest reserves from hunting and illegal logging.[1]
- Sri Lanka Police – Environmental Division: Investigates environmental crimes including poaching.[4]
- Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard: Conduct marine patrols to prevent illegal fishing and turtle harvesting.[5][3]
Scope and Impacts of Poaching
[edit]Sri Lanka is part of the Western Ghats Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot and harbors more than 100 endemic vertebrate species. Poaching has targeted species such as the Sri Lankan elephant, Sri Lankan leopard, pangolin, sambar deer, Indian peafowl, and various marine turtles.[6] Poaching intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the collapse of ecotourism and loss of income. Protected areas such as Yala, Wilpattu, and Gal Oya saw a surge in illegal hunting.[7] Sea turtle populations are also under threat from egg harvesting and by-catch. A 2014–2015 survey recorded 995 olive ridley, 2,318 green turtle, 14 loggerhead, 18 hawksbill, and 12 leatherback nests at key beaches.[6] The elephant population has declined by as much as 75% since the early 20th century, due to poaching and habitat loss.[3]
LTTE involvement in poaching
[edit]During the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983–2009), the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) eroded the government’s authority to enforce laws in areas under its control with "limited statehood", where they engaged in criminal activities, including illegal resource extraction, including systematic poaching and wildlife trafficking in the Northern and Eastern provinces. The LTTE was involved in the illegal ivory trade, hunting elephants for tusks which were then smuggled and sold to fund insurgency operations.[8][9]
Poaching at sea: Indian trawlers in northern waters
[edit]Following the end of the war, illegal trawling by Indian vessels in northern waters has caused ecological and economic damage. Affected communities report income losses exceeding LKR 85,000 per month and travel farther offshore to compensate for depleted stocks. Patrols by the Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard continue, but incursions persist due to lack of effective international enforcement mechanisms.[10][11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance". LawNet Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Fisheries And Aquatic Resources Act No 2 of 1996" (PDF). lankalaw.net.
- ^ a b c "Annual Performance Report 2022". Department of Wildlife Conservation. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Environmental Police Division". Sri Lanka Police. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Maldeniya, R. R. P. (2013). "Coastal and Marine Fisheries Management in Sri Lanka". Coastal and Marine Fisheries Management in SAARC Countries.
- ^ a b Thilakarathne, E. P. D. N.; Lakmini, W. A. S. W.; Egodauyana, K. P. U. T. (2024). "Sea Turtles are at Risk: Unraveling the Major Threats and Conservation Challenges Encountered by Sea Turtles in Southern Sri Lanka". Ocean Science Journal. 59 (1): 35. Bibcode:2024OSJ....59...35T. doi:10.1007/s12601-024-00159-w.
- ^ Mombauer, Benjamin (2020-11-16). "Sri Lanka's Wildlife in the Pandemic". EconomyNext. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ Haass, F. (2020). "Insurgency and Ivory: The Territorial Origins of Illicit Resource Extraction in Civil Conflicts". Comparative Political Studies. 54 (8): 1327–1361. doi:10.1177/0010414020957682.
- ^ Santiapillai, C.; Silva, A.; Karyawasam, C. (1999). "Trade in Asian elephant ivory in Sri Lanka". Oryx. 33 (2): 176–180. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3008.1999.00041.x.
- ^ "Sri Lankan navy arrests Indian fishermen for poaching". Xinhua. 2025-07-01. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ "Sri Lankan Navy arrests 7 Indian fishermen for alleged illegal fishing". Press Trust of India (PTI). 2025-07-01. Retrieved 2025-07-02.