Activities
Activity 1: Exploration of fauna and flora. Students will walk around the camp and along jungle paths looking out for mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Identification of trees, shrubs, weeds, other types of vegetation would be carried out. The different habitats in which animals are found would also be observed. Techniques for identification would be explained and followed. Size, shape and colouration of birds would be noted for easy identification with reference to relevant texts where necessary. You will also explore the Underworld! Understand the importance of decomposition in the ecological processes of the forest Explore the roles played by other inhabitants of the forest floor such as insects, slugs, amphibians, and small mammals using microscopes. Identify and differentiate between fungi, lichen, and moss.
Activity 2: Agro-ecology and Community Interaction. You will learn how important the involvement of communities is for sustainable conservation. You will with your supervisor(s) guidance monitor innovative landscape management systems designed by us to buffer communities economically from elephant raids and to minimize such raids.
Activity 3: GIS/Mapping and Orienting. You will learn about GIS (Geographic Information Systems) which is a mapping technology that allows the user to create and interact with a variety of maps and data sources. Additionally GIS is a kind of scientific visualization that gives the ability to identify and synthetically manipulate elements of complex systems. You will also learn how to read a map and orient yourself.
Activity 4: Elephant Research and Community Conservation. You will learn the basic principles of elephant research by working with your supervisor to monitor tanks (small irrigation reservoirs) situated outside the National Park for elephant dung. The aim is to find out whether there are single males and/or herds present outside the Park, what their dispersal patterns might be and what kind of food they eat (for example crops or native forest plants). You will check the state of solar powered electric fences erected to stop elephants from entering villages so that this information can be relayed to the local fence committees, who maintains and operates these fences. It also enables us to see what goes wrong with electric fences so that their design and management can be improved.
Activity 5: Park Elephant ID and Observing Fauna and Flora. As we drive through Wasgamuwa National Park you will learn about the different vegetation types and there importance. You will visit ancient battle sites and search for herds of elephants while looking for the elusive leopard and sloth bear. And the Highlands! The Knuckles Range ecocline transect consists of observing characteristics of sub-montane, cloud forests and grasslands and also vegetation types found therein. You will see many of the endemic birds of Sri Lanka and elephant and possibly leopard signs plus some amazing views and sceneries (if it is not a cloudy day). Completely Carbon Neutral! We will plant trees together so that your experiential program has only a positive impact on our planet.
