A drone is a flying, loud device with a razor-sharp fan that can collide with birds and nests and scare animals

A man seen plucking branches from plants in Horton Plains

• Observations made during a visit to the national park

From 9-10 June, I had the fortune of visiting Horton Plains National Park with my fellow wildlife photographers Krishan Kariyawasam, Kasun Liyadipita, and Damith Danthanarayana. The goal of the journey was to capture an image of a Sri Lankan leopard – an animal that is territorial to the mountain regions.

Horton Plains was known as Maha Eliya Thanna before it was declared a national park in 1988. This slice of paradise of natural beauty with a delicate ecosystem stretches for 31.6 square kilometres and is situated 7,500 feet above sea level, providing a safe haven for a number of rare and endemic species of animals, flora, and fauna. As per rough estimates, Horton Plains is home to over 700 species of plant life, and 27 of them are not found anywhere else in the world. Records suggest there are 24 species of mammals, more than 90 species of birds, and around 20 different species of reptiles and amphibians. Being the only cloud forest in Sri Lanka, it was declared a world heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2010.

The diversity and views of Horton Plains naturally makes it a point of high attraction for both local and foreign travellers. The Blackpool-Ambewela-Pattipola-Hortain Plains public road provides a route through the national park to both visitors of the park and the general public. During the two days we spent in the park, we came across 200-400 foreigners and locals visiting the national park. The same attraction that brings a lot of visitors to the park is now the main reason for the danger that Horton Plains faces at present. A key observation we made was that, ironically, Horton Plains faces more harm in the hands of locals than foreign visitors.

Littering

The main issue, above all else, would be garbage disposal within the premises of the national park. The staggering amount of polythene and food waste left behind by people impacts Horton Plains in several aspects. There is no need to elaborate on the effect of polythene on natural environments, as it is a prevailing global catastrophe that humanity is taking steps to minimise.

More specifically to Horton Plains, another unique catastrophe is underway due to leftover food waste. The abundance of food waste is an inviting factor for a large crow population that is growing very fast within the national park; this directly affects the population of smaller reptiles like the Sri Lankan pygmy lizard, Sri Lankan whorl-tail lizard, Sri Lankan kangaroo lizard, and black-cheek lizard (Calotes nigrilabris). These lizards, small as they may be, are participants in one of the most complex ecosystems in the world, and their declining population is a waving red flag hinting at the catastrophic changes in the ecosystem.

This problem does not end there either. Ignorant visitors are known to feed wildlife, such as the sambar deer and wild boars, which has detrimental effects on these animals in several layers. Initially, repetitive feeding leads to dependency among wild animals, changing their natural behaviour and leaving them vulnerable to the hardships of the forest. On top of that, processed food can affect wild animals because of the synthetic substances and lack of nutrients, making them vulnerable to sickness and disease.

Stepping into animals’ territory

It is not rocket science to understand that travellers should not exceed the limits of the road and enter the premises of the forest from wherever they want, especially when that road goes through a world heritage national park. In fact, the authorities have made it illegal to do so, in consideration of the harm that can come to animals and plants because of human behaviour and vice versa.

An interesting fact about human society is that whenever a person makes the mistake of stepping into animal territory and an animal like the leopard threatens the life of the person, to no one’s surprise, the animal ends up paying the price with its own life. Another piece of interesting human behaviour that we observed was travellers from areas like Colombo snatching branches and roots from plants endemic to Horton Plains as if that plant would survive even three hours in the temperatures of the Western Province – they wouldn’t. If enough individuals repeat this behaviour, endemic plants like Maharath Mal could cease to exist in the world forever within the next 5-10 years.

Drones

Drones have been a popular obsession with a lot of the general public in recent years. It is a great tool that can be used in a plethora of industries such as photography and cinematography. However, in the wildlife enthusiasts’ community, there has been a raging debate over the usage of drones within the premises of a national park and if it was acceptable or not. In my experience, the question itself is ignorant and there are multiple ways a simple drone can disrupt the daily lives of animals.

A drone is a flying, loud device with a razor-sharp fan that a human being operates remotely. It can collide with birds, it can collide into nests, and if nothing else, it can scare animals, forcing them to relocate. It is understandable that there can exist some exceptional instances where drone usage can benefit the lives of the animals; such as a field study where researchers can observe wild animals up close and from aerial angles. These exceptional instances should be allowed only through exceptional regulations. The fundamental fact that the people who debate over the drone matter often forget is that it is not human territory: the national park is exclusively reserved for the animal kingdom, and we are but guests in someone else’s home, and we cannot overextend our welcome.

The problematic behaviours mentioned in this article are just a few that we observed within a short span of two days. There are undoubtedly many more ways in which human behaviour continues to interrupt the wellbeing of the national park and its ecosystem. As a final word, I think it is important to highlight that efficient and capable wildlife authorities are not the only answer to safeguarding the environment but it is also the integrity of the people that enjoy the environment.

(Banu Mapalagama is a wildlife photographer)

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The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.