Abstract:
The effective management of the protected areas will play a pivotal role in conserving Sri
Lanka’s biological diversity. Although the country’s protected area network is extensive and governed
by a stringent set of laws and regulations, resource limitations for detecting and monitoring offences have
hampered management efforts. This study focused on examining trends in the occurrence of offences in
two protected areas, Kumana National Park and Panama-Kudumbigala Sanctuary, located adjacent to
each other, in the southeastern region of Sri Lanka. Data relevant to offences relating to both protected
areas were obtained from records lodged at the site office of the Department of Wildlife Conservation
and covering a period of ten years (January 2010 to September 2019). Further information was gathered
through informal interviews with park officials.
The data on offences committed during the past decade revealed annual and monthly (and
concomitantly seasonal) trends. The number of offences was highest, 41, in 2014, and lowest, 6, in 2010.
The most common offences were trespassing, possession of game meat, possession of illegal firearms, illegal
fishing, and forest clearing. Offences were more frequent during the latter half of the year (August to
December). This pattern is most likely linked to the seasonality in rainfall and the availability of brackish
water fishery resources. Several faunal species – Spotted deer (Axis axis), Black-headed ibis (Threskiornis
melanocephalus), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), Flapshell turtle (Lissemys ceylonensis), Wild boar
(Sus scrofa) and the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) were targeted; the elephant, by villagers
mainly for self protection and safeguarding crops, and the others for bush meat by poachers. The highest
month for offences related to game meat (August) coincided with the peak tourist season in Arugam Bay.
The majority of the offenders were from Panama and Pottuvil, which are peripheral villages. The findings
of the present study would be useful in managing the limited resources so as to alleviate the incidence of
offences and address underlying driving forces. The latter would lead to more effective management of
the protected areas in the long term
