Once every twelve years, Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands transform into a carpet of violet, pink, and white flowers. This is the Nelu bloom, one of the most dramatic natural events in the plant world. Nelu belongs to the Strobilanthes genus, small shrubs that grow beneath forest canopies across Sri Lanka’s Wet Zone. The country is […]
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In 2012, Sri Lanka’s Red List declared the towering rainforest tree Doona ovalifolia, known locally as Pini-Beraliya as “extinct in the wild.” The only surviving specimen stood at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya, a solitary reminder of a species thought lost forever. That changed in 2018. A Facebook post in a medicinal plant group […]
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Sri Lanka has become a global hotspot for whale watching, offering sightings of the blue whale, Bryde’s, sperm, and pilot whales just off its southern and eastern coasts. However, beneath the glossy ads and viral social media videos lies a troubling reality: swimming with whales is not only unethical—it’s illegal. In 2012, Sri Lanka banned […]
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After a prolonged 15-year legal process, Wilpattu National Park has received renewed protection following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL), alongside key conservation partners, challenged the unauthorized opening of an illegal road that cut through the park. On May 7, 2025, the State formally committed to halting […]
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Tourism in Sri Lanka faces a paradox: it depends on natural resources while also threatening their sustainability due to rapid and unregulated development. In the wake of multiple crises since 2019, such as the Easter bombings, pandemic and economic crisis, tourism is expected to play a key role in the country’s economic recovery. However, for […]
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