Elephant Conservation

About the Project

Nestled within the breathtaking surrounds of the Sri Lankan jungle, this project offers volunteers the opportunity to take part in vital ecological research on the region’s elephants. An overarching aim of the project is to assess and reduce human-elephant conflicts in the area, an issue which has become greater in recent years. As a volunteer, you will assist in the implementation of sustainable land-use initiatives using GPS, remote sensing and GIS techniques to develop conservation strategies which in turn will help to protect elephants and other wildlife in the Central and North Central Provinces of Sri Lanka.

Living in harmony with nature is a sentiment deeply embedded in Sri Lanka’s indigenous culture; this is primarily due to the Buddist fabric of the country which advocates ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence). The project aims to follow this notion, using it to rebuild human-elephant relationships.

The research conducted during this project is carried out to meet rigorous scientific enquiry and is based on adaptive management strategies. Volunteers will have the chance to experience a true, natural wilderness whilst contributing to field research and environmental protection in a meaningful way.

Prior to Arrival

You will need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. Visas for visits of up to thirty days can be obtained online via the Electronic Travel Authority. These can be extended for up to three months once in Sri Lanka from the Department of Immigration and Emigration. However, it is advisable to contact the Sri Lankan High Commission in your country of origin at least one month before you travel. Please note that your passport must be valid for at least six months from your arrival into the country.

First Day

You will be collected from your hotel in Ambepussa by a member of the team, who will then transfer you to the project site. After settling into your accommodation, you will receive an orientation and will have the time to get to know your fellow volunteers before going to one of the tree huts for your first chance to see the elephants!

Regular Days

During the project, your group will be split into two teams who will each engage in a wide variety of different wildlife and elephant conservation tasks in Wasgamuwa National Park. You will also get to visit local villages where you will observe human-elephant conflict resolution projects. Volunteers will also receive time off, where you can choose to relax or visit nearby cultural sites (such as Sigirua and the Temple of the Tooth). However, regarding your workdays, activities may include any of the following:

Human-Elephant Conflict Observations:

This will be a fundamental part of your time on the project, as you will spend your afternoons and an evening in a tree hut situated within an ‘elephant corridor’. The purpose of this activity is to allow you to collect data on the special and temporal distribution of passing elephants and observe how villagers and elephants interact, as both factions use the area. You will be able to spot other wildlife, should it walk past! All of the data collected is essential for wider elephant conservation efforts.

Trail Transects:

This activity involves spending a session walking along a trail and recording dung found alongside it. The aim of the trail transect is to investigate Sri Lankan elephant populations outside of Wasgamuwa National Park, as well as to determine their seasonal variation and habitat preferences. Additionally, while not exactly glamorous, this task is incredibly important in indicating the age, size, sex and eating patterns of elephant individuals, and may also illustrate the extent of human-elephant conflicts within the area.

Electric Fence Monitoring:

Each team will check the state of the solar-powered electric fences, which have been erected to stop elephants from entering villages. Once checked, the status of their conditions will then be relayed to the local fence committees, which maintain and operate the fences. This process also enables volunteers and the project staff to see what can go wrong with the fences so that their design and management can be improved.

Elephant ID:

Each team will spend a session at the Weheragala Tank looking for Sri Lankan elephants and then observing and photographing them. Elephant identification data sheets will be filled by observing the different physical features of individual elephants. The aim of the elephant ID is to build up a catalogue of individuals as a basis for numbers, social organisation and movement inside/outside the park. As you observe elephants you may also be able to observe other wildlife present in the area, which includes sloth bears and even leopards!

Sustainable Land use and Livelihood Project Monitoring:

Agriculture is one of the main contributing factors in human-elephant conflicts. The project has established several sustainable land use and livelihood projects with local communities to develop agriculturally based measures which are compatible with the elephants. You will learn how important the involvement of communities is for sustainable elephant conservation and will also help to monitor and evaluate innovative landscape management systems designed to help buffer communities from elephant raids.

Wildlife Observation and Data Logging: 

You will spend time in your teams at the water tank, where you can look for Sri Lankan elephants and other wildlife including peacocks, mugger crocodiles, water buffalo, macaque monkeys, leopards and an extensive collection of birds within the area. The information collected will then be logged into the system.

Trekking:

During your time on the project, you will spend time observing wildlife and various habitats, as well as visiting forest hermitages and looking out for signs of elephants for wider Asian elephant conservation and other wildlife.

Last Day

After saying goodbye to the project staff and the friends you have made, you will be transferred back to Kandy. From here you can commence your independent travel plans or arrange a transfer back to Colombo to catch your returning flight home.

The weekends are generally free, so you might want to visit a nearby town or cultural site.