Small creatures of Moragahakanda get a helping hand
Operations to rescue and relocate small wild creatures trapped by the waters of the Moragahakanda reservoir are continuing.
Filling of water at the reservoir began on January 11.
Department of Wildlife Conservation officers with support from volunteers began rescuing wildlife species that had been trapped by the rising waters.
“Giant squirrels, squirrels, wild cats, reptiles, lizards, monitor lizards and snakes top the list of animals that we rescued,” says Wildlife Department’s chief veterinary surgeon, Dr Tharaka Prasad who led the rescue.
These operations are sometimes risky. Video footage show occasions when frightened animals could endanger rescuers.
Dr Prasad said rescued animals were released into nearby forested areas that will not be affected by the waters.
He said rescuers had so far not seen any large animals such as deer, wild boar, and elephants. He believes large animals have already moved to safer ground.
The filling of the reservoir has created 22 small islands which could become refuges for animals.
Earlier, a team lead by the IUCN Sri Lanka (International Union of Conservation of Nature) carried out animal rescues in the area. IUCN Sri Lanka’s Sampath Goonatilake who participated in the operations said a number of plant species that are important and threatened were translocated. The team had also relocated some freshwater fish.
According to IUCN, 80 animal species and 202 different plant species were identified from the affected area. The operation translocated 916 plants belonging to 58 species and a total of 2,414 animals belonging to 46 faunal species (fish and other species) according to IUCN. It also states that monitoring reveals an 84 per cent survival rate of transplanted plant species. Dr Prasad of the Wildlife Department, said officials will account for the animals saved once the rescue is complete.