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Chats by the sea with Dr. Malik Fernando

04 Jun 2021

The Mt. Lavinia beach area is unique in its topography with an arrangement of clusters of rocks that create a thriving marine ecosystem. This beach in particular has been a corner of the world that has been a big part of the life of many generations living in and around the area. It has been a place of retreat for families who have enjoyed countless hours of fun and togetherness on the beach and in the shallow sea. The more adventurous have swum out further and enjoyed the serenity and beauty of life in deeper waters. It has also been a place of learning for students through the years who visit to study the diverse marine flora and fauna in this unique habitat. Many fishermen earn livelihoods around this area, as can be observed on day visits. This area is also very unique in its topography with the arrangement of clusters of rocks. In addition to creating a thriving marine ecosystem, it makes the area a very picturesque site and a tourist attraction. The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) is to host a discussion on the Mount Lavinia Hotel Bay rocky shore and its biodiversity on 5 June with the retired medical doctor Dr. Malik Fernando speaking more about it.  Dr. Fernando has spent his leisure hours mostly by the sea, or underwater, being a qualified scuba diver throughout his life. He has documented marine invertebrates such as jellyfish, molluscs, and echinoderms, as well as algae. The Mount rocky shore has been a favourite study area. He is now leading a WNPS Marine Committee study group on the re-establishment of biodiversity in this area. Speaking to Dr. Fernando on this topic, he shared some interesting facts and his findings to give us more insight into the topic. “Having been a diver for many years, I was struck by the variety of animals and plants that had not been recorded or studied by other Sri Lankans in recent years. What information was available was to be found in old publications and in the work of foreigners who had visited the country, which was very little.” He then began collecting marine invertebrates for a home aquarium and identification in the 1970s, as he was interested in the names of these animals; and of the marine algae, the seaweeds. He informed us that over the years, he built up a collection of dried specimens, photographs – both underwater as well as ex-situ images – drawings, and a seaweed herbarium. He explained that he was interested to see if there had been any effect on the animals and plants by the sea after the beach nourishment programme back in 2020 as there were talks that the additional sand supply could impact the coastal reef systems and affect the siltation patterns of the Dehiwala and Wellawatte canal outlets. “I conducted research on how the rocks will recover and form life again. Unfortunately, we were only able to visit a few times before the lockdown started, but from the research we had gathered, when compared to the previous years, the animals that were already situated there were not affected as the sand had been washed away.”  With the excess sand being washed away, Dr. Fernando explained that life was coming back and re-establishing itself. “Even though the rocks had been covered with sand, nature came in and took the sand away, allowing the lifeforms on the rocks to flourish and they have been repopulated by the plants and molluscs.”  When asked if, due to the beach nourishment programme, the animals have to face any challenges, he said that there is no hard evidence as of yet, but once the current travel restrictions lift, they will go back and do some in-depth research.   For more information on the subject, catch the webinar on the WNPS Facebook page.    Facebook: wnpssl 


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