Environment Minister ready to issue gazette notification to protect endangered animal and tree species in SL

by Ifham Nizam

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that he is prepared to issue a gazette notification to take necessary conservation measures to protect endangered animal and tree species in Sri Lanka.

Stressing the importance of protecting the biodiversity especially to protect fauna and flora species, he expressed concern over some 35 species of amphibians in the world becoming extinct in the last decade.

Twenty one of them are endemic to Sri Lanka, the Minister noted, adding that environment scientists have pointed out to him the threat faced by the species.

Madhava Meegaskumbura, the co-chair of the National Amphibian Specialist Group, said that when it comes Sri Lanka’s latest records on the state of the country’s amphibians, of the 116 species currently recognized from Sri Lanka, 72 are threatened with extinction.

“Twenty of them were assessed as critically endangered; which means that unless recovery programs are designed and implemented immediately, they stand a high risk of becoming extinct,” he said

Ecologists and environmental journalists pointed out that some flora and fauna are in danger of extinction due to the lack of proper attention.

Around 10 other endangered tree species have been identified in the country, especially the Crudia Zylanica in Mirigama, Gampaha.

Environmentalists have appealed to the Minister to issue a gazette notification prohibiting the cutting or destruction of environmental resources.

The Minister has asked environmental organizations to provide him with information on the endangered species of flora and fauna.