WNPS Monthly Lecture: from Manike to Mary to the Hanuman Plover -to keep the magic of Mannar alive

Sri Lanka is the pearl and the pivot of the Central Asian Flyway (CAF). Being one of the southernmost landmasses of CAF that spans from north-eastern Asia across to Europe down the conical Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka becomes the terminus of many migrants who take up the flyway across Asia. The Mannar Island holds a special place in CAF, providing exciting opportunities to study the poorly known migratory routes & strategies of Asian migrants. In fact, the recent evidence suggest that Mannar could receive birds from all oceans and continents of the planet except South Americas – it’s truly a hub in Asia. The ‘Sri Lanka’s GPS/GSM Satellite Tagging Study of Migratory Birds was initiated in Mannar in 2020. Up to date, about 40 individuals of 12 waterbird species have been tagged under the program, generating breathtaking insights not just about our migrants, but also on some of the elusive breeding birds in the region. Manike, Mary, Gul-Sari, Sherpa-Tenzing, Sinbad, Donald and Raja are some of these tagged birds who are telling these amazing stories of Sri Lanka’s place in the global map.

Prof. Sampath Seneviratne is a research scientist, a university professor, a forester, a conservationist, a writer, and a public communicator. He spends time in forests across Sri Lanka, mostly away from popular places. He loves birding, boating, painting, planting, and hiking alone in the forested trails. Through his science, he serves his country, his people and his wilderness and its life.

As ornithologists and 'birders' in Sri Lanka prepare to welcome avian migrants to Sri Lanka, the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS) presents this timely lecture, for all wildlife lovers. Its focus is not just to illustrate the wonder of our winter visitors, but also to highlight the threats to their continued visitation due to unenlightened and short term political thinking