Episode 38 – Victoria-Randenigala-Rantambe Sanctuary

My experience at the Victoria – Randenigala – Rantambe Sanctuary

I joined the Department of Wildlife Conservation in October 1997 as an Assistant Director of the Sri Lanka Scientific Service. First, I  went to India and studied a 9-month training course at the Dehradun institute in Uttarakhand. After the training course, I was assigned to Giritale Wildlife Training Center. As the in charge and there also worked as a trainer for the wildlife officers.

After about 05 years, I was appointed as the Central Provincial Assistant Director. The Victoria – Randenigala – Rantambe sanctuary which belonged to that province gave me a wealth of experience. A forest ecosystem exists in succession stages. Through which as the forest grows and becomes a stable thick forest after a certain time. When a forest is destroyed for some reason, the forest regenerates and stabilizes over time. But a forest in the succession stage is more suitable for wild animals to live in than a dense forest. Therefore, as the Department of Wildlife Conservation, we try to keep a forest in the succession stage during the restoration process. 

This Victoria – Randenigala – Rantambe sanctuary had forest areas that are being replaced. They are the lands that have been exposed to development activities and are being reforested. When walking in the field, we observed that the quality of the environment for animals like deer and elk in the fields is low. Thereafter,we officials decided to select about three acres of paddy fields from some of the fields inside the sanctuary and cultivate bajri (Round millet) as a suitable food for the animals. Bajri seeds were purchased and we were able to cultivate bajri with a small investment. We protected the crops from animals for about a week after planting bajri. After about a week, when the caring was stopped, the animal’sresponses were very successful. After 2-3 days, all the three acres were completely grazed.

Officers work within these protected areas. Apart from experience, the technical capacity to identify problems also varies from one officer to another. Once on a field trip, an officer wore a brightly colored dress. Since the bright colour dress was not suitable werequested him to wear another dress. He said ‘We have been in the jungle so much, there is no problem’ and he came without accepting our advice. On the way we met a herd of elephants and this officer became their main target. He ran and jumped into a stone crevasse and saved his life, but a piece of the skull had to be removed surgically.

Another time we saw madhu (Cycad) plant spreading over a large area of this sanctuary and alongwith this spread, the elk population increased. Simultaneously, hunters also increased. We had to enhance our raids. Ultimately we had to prevent the plant from spreading unnecessarily.

Also, the environment should be suitable for the locomotion of the animals living there. Once we saw an elk that could walk well has fallen down and broke its bones. We learned the lesson that protected areas should be managed appropriately to make them suitable for animals.

Once during a spell of drought there was a shortage of water in that area. We walked and found a water source. We were able to supply water to the village from that water source.

Victoria – Randenigala – Rantambe Sanctuary is a great resource. A complex ecosystem. A wealth of knowledge about biodiversity and environmental conservation. An environmental haven. When talking about biodiversity, we have to consider about its cultural diversity as well. Victoria – Randenigala – Rantambe reservoirs were constructed in the year 1980, centered on the Mahaweli River, under the AccelleratedMahaweli Development Program. Victoria Reservoir is located in NuwaraEliya District, Randenigala Reservoir in NuwaraEliya District and Rantambe Reservoir in Badulla District. The culture of the people living in these districts is different. Their environment and land use methods are different. Therefore, we were able to experience such cultural differences during the management of the sanctuary.

It is correct to say that the Victoria – Randenigala – Rantambe Sanctuary has given a good start to my career.