A sanctuary or killing field

The wildlife reserve at Hambantota is not offering much sanctuary to animals, with a number of species including deer falling prey to hunters in recent times.

During the past four months Officers of the Hambantota District Wildlife Office arrested seven hunters within the reserve.

According to wildlife officers poachers were using around 300 types of traps within the reserve as a means of trapping their prey. Some resorted to use of firearms, while the latest and most deadly trend was the poisoning of waterholes within the reserve, which was resulting in indiscriminate killings of all kinds of wildlife.

The department is warning the public against consuming the flesh of such wild animals as there was a danger that the animals had been poisoned.

They also request to provide information on the activities of persons engaged in hunting and or selling the flesh of killed wild animals.

The public is requested to immediately contact the wildlife office at Hambantota with information

Story and Pix by Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi in Hambantota Wildlife officers took into custody the carcass of this deer and a motorcycle used by a hunter.

One on the hunter/ poachers taken into custody along with materials used to lay traps

With the drought causing waterholes to dry up poachers have begun to poison waterholes like the one pictured

The remains of animals killed and a pot with the flesh being prepared

Officers take a poacher into custody