Conservation in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Elephant Orphanage Work in Sri Lanka

From early 2006, Gap Jobs will be giving you the opportunity to work with young orphaned and abandoned elephants at the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka.
This orphanage is home to 65 creatures that, for a variety of reasons, are unable to work as domestic elephants or return to the wild.

What will I be doing?
The work of washing, feeding and generally looking after these magnificent animals is quite literally a mammoth task. Volunteers are therefore welcomed to lend a hand on a regular basis. Muck in and enjoy working alongside these majestic creatures, which are understandably revered across much of the Asian world.

This part time placement can be done alongside teaching and orphanage work in the region for a varied and truly fulfilling time-out!

Sea Turtle Conservation (from January 2007)

Beginning in January 2007, Gap Jobs is running an exciting team conservation project on the gorgeous beaches of south east Sri Lanka. Based at the Bundala National Park, your placement will involve working with the 5 endangered species of sea turtle native to this area.

What will I be doing?
Gap Jobs has teamed up with the Wildlife Conservation Department to establish a turtle camp in one of the world’s most important conservation sites.

Working mainly by moonlight when the turtles come inland, you will be combing the 16km beach for nesting female turtles. When the eggs are laid, you take them to a protected nursery, where the hatchlings can be looked after until they are old enough to care for themselves (this is in no way cruel, as turtles usually abandon their eggs and do not nurse their young.)

During the day there will be work to do building the infrastructure of the camp and patrolling the beach, as well as some time off for that well deserved R & R!

Accommodation for this placement is actually on the beach. Living in campsite tents the stunning coast will be your new home, where you wake in the morning to striking sand dunes and sparkling blue water. Heaven!

Poaching of turtle eggs is a real problem, and although it rarely occurs within the boundaries of the National Parks, its impact in unprotected areas of the country has significantly reduced numbers in recent decades. Collecting of marine turtle eggs is illegal in many countries, but they are a good source of protein for many poor communities, and in some areas are considered a delicacy. Poaching of mature turtles also occurs for the prized meat and shell.

Fishing nets, in particular those of deep sea trawlers, often inadvertently trap turtles underwater causing them to drown. The scale of global trawling, and the often environmentally damaging methods used, make this a significant contributor to the reduction in numbers.

Rubbish and debris washed up on the beaches has a harmful effect on the nesting environment of the turtles, a problem very much worsened by the 2004 tsunami. Vast amounts of debris were dragged back into the sea by the receding waters, and later washed up on beaches all along the coast of southern and eastern Sri Lanka.

The single biggest threat to the eggs in the area where we work is from wild animals, especially the Indian Wild Boar. Although to protect turtles from such natural predators may seem to be interfering with nature, this is one way we can relatively easily intervene to offset the massive negative impact of man’s activities on global populations. The relatively common Wild Boar do not suffer if they are deprived of the eggs, as these areas offer abundant food sources for such effective scavengers.

0845 121 1996
or email:
team@madventurer.com