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Dry zone
Dry Zone
Sri Lanka’s dry zone is an important ecoregion ...
~60%
of Sri Lanka at ~3.9 million hectares
~84%
of Sri Lanka’s protected areas are in the dry zone
… however it is under threat from forest loss
0.3%
annual rate of forest loss in dry zone between 2000-2022, driven by settlements and agriculture, as well as lack of proper demarcation for protected areas
Sri Lanka has a special population of blue whales
Blue whales are endangered globally with only a 10-25K whales left; ~500 whales or 2-5% of global population is found in Sri Lanka
There is a distinct sub-species of blue whales in Sri Lanka, a portion of which reside in Sri Lankan waters all year round
Whales contribute to nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, playing a critical role in maintaining health of marine ecosystems
Whale watching is a popular tourist attraction in Sri Lanka
…but its unique ecosystems are under-protected
and under-connected
Detailed data on whale population health is scarce However, whale watching operators have found that whale sightings have reduced significantly and whale mortalities attributed to ships strikes have been observed
Whales are facing disturbances from shipping traffic, there is an overlap of crucial whale habitats and busy shipping lanes in the south of Sri Lanka
Careless and harmful whale watching practices may be affecting whale feeding and breeding behavior
Our Ambition
Safeguard and increase protection in the dry zone to counter deforestation
Interventions
Conduct ground surveys to confirm intact habitats
USD 1.7 Mn
Update protected area boundaries to include all intact habitats through formal gazette
Clearly demarcate protected area boundaries to avoid illegal activity
USD 11.2 Mn
Use satellite data to continuously monitor protected areas to avoid deforestation, with dashboard for public access
Total cost 2025-2030
USD 13 Mn
Our Ambition
Safeguard the health of whales in Sri Lankan waters
Interventions
Develop world class whale watching industry with strengthened regulations and enforcement to minimize negative effects on whales
USD 2-3 Mn
Introduce solutions to minimize disturbances from shipping traffic
USD 3-4 Mn
Improve research and monitoring for improved understanding of whale population, movement and behavioral patterns
USD 2-3 Mn
Total cost 2025-2030
USD 7-10 Mn
Added protection in dry zone
~43%
Current protection
~3.7%
Additional protection
~46%
2030 protection
Impact potential
16,700
Km of protected area boundaries correctly demarcated
~1,100
Annual ha of forest loss expected to be prevented
142,000
Net new ha of protected areas
~370,000
Annual tons of CO2 emissions prevented from deforestation
Road map
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