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Recent seismic activity in Indian Ocean likely led pilot whales to Lankan beaches
(Mongabay)Marine experts say the seismic activity in the Indian Ocean in the past few days likely pushed a pod of pilot whales onto Sri Lanka’s shores. Authorities and volunteers undertook a strenuous 15-and-a-half-hour operation to send a pod of pilot whales safely back into the sea. Rescuers managed to push 11 pilot whales back into the sea while three died on the shores. Recorded incidents of whales beaching up on Sri Lankan shores go back as far as 1889.
The Feb.11 beaching of 14 pilot whales in Kalpitiya, about 172 kilometers (107 miles) from the capital, Colombo, may have occurred due to the recent seismic activity in the Indian Ocean, marine experts say.The whales beached on Sri Lanka’s northwestern Kudawa beach in Kandakuliya, Kalpitiya, prompting 15 and a half hours of strenuous efforts from authorities to send the mammals back into sea.
“We launched efforts to send these whales back into the sea at around 4 a.m. after we received a tipoff from a fisherman,” Upali Kumarathunga, the wildlife ranger who was in charge of the rescue operation, told Mongabay.
“It was challenging for us because the whales kept coming back to the shore even though we kept pushing them back into the waters.”
Kumarathunga noted that about 25 personnel from the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Coast Guard and other volunteers had participated in the operation that came to a close around 7:30 p.m. Colombo time.While the rescuers managed to send 11 whales safely back into the sea, three had died.
“After completing a postmortem examination on the dead whales, we will report findings to the court and bury the carcasses. However, we intend to preserve at least one carcass. That is still under consideration,” the wildlife ranger said.
Marine biologist Ranil Nanayakkara, a member of the IUCN SSC Serenia Specialist Group who leads the local conservation NGO Biodiversity Education And Research, cited two main reasons that may have resulted in the pod of whales reaching the Sri Lankan shores.
“Pilot whales travel in pods and often follow their leader. The leader often reaches the shore when it falls sick, and the pod follows it,” Nanayakkara told Mongabay. “I feel one of the whales that had died was the leader.”
Nanayakkara added that recent seismic activity in the Indian Ocean is another reason that may have caused these whales to reach the shore, as these mammals travel using sonar and become easily disoriented. “
Pilot whales are classified into two groups, as short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas). Nanayakkara identified the stranded whales as short-finned pilot whales, which are often found in tropical waters.
Incidents of this nature have occurred previously in Sri Lanka as well, with the most recent one in 2020, when 120 pilot whales had beached on the western coast of Panadura. In 2017, about 20 short-finned pilot whales were stranded on the eastern coast before being rescued by the navy and local volunteers.According to Spolia Zeylanica, a journal published by the Colombo National Museum, recorded incidents of whales washing up on the shores of Sri Lanka go back as far as 1889.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
