Post Covid Operations Of Wildlife Parks In Sri Lanka – A New Start?

The current ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought tourism and leisure travel to its knees. With extended curfews and strict restrictions of movement, almost all establishments have been shut.

- Srilal Miththapala And Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya

The wildlife parks also have been closed for close to a month now. There are reports of wild animals enjoying the undisturbed freedom they suddenly are experiencing. The natural environment in general also seems to have taken a turn for the better. Not only in Sri Lanka, but the world over, it is seen that nature can heal itself, if given some space and time.

It is common knowledge that in the past years of post-war rapid development, we have exploited our natural assets and wildlife in the name of tourism to almost a point of no return, by overcrowding and over-visitation. We have pursued quantity over quality.

This approach to wildlife tourism has resulted in a plethora of negative comments in social media about the tourists’ experience of wildlife parks in Sri Lanka. Continuation of a ‘business as usual’ scenario would ensure the demise of the wildlife tourism industry on the longer term. While wildlife tourism in Sri Lanka has tremendous economic potential, it should not be promoted at the expense of conservation.