Profiteering over preservation
Conservation of forests and wildlife is a major challenge that Sri Lanka faces right now.
The destruction of forests leading to irreparable damage continues unabatedly, causing irreversible harm to the ecological balance. Coastal systems, freshwater sources and wetlands are also under siege due to man’s greed for profits. Human disturbance of wildlife is an oft recognised yet woefully under-regulated problem. Despite identifying limitations and the challenges faced with several alternative actions proposed… all roads lead to nowhere!
Over the last few years, a lot has been said and written by Sri Lankans about the deteriorating situation at the Yala National Park. Overcrowding issues, mis-management, disregard for park rules / regulations and park usage conflicts have time and again surfaced. Negative perceptions of visitors towards the excessive number of vehicles seen and the number of vehicles stopped, at the same location to view wildlife - all giving rise to a rapidly diminishing ‘visitor experience’.
During the “Future of Tourism 2017” summit, a foreign expert said that Sri Lanka can be the best wildlife tourism destination outside Africa but it has to realise that wildlife conservation and protection will become extremely crucial. Another foreign speaker spoke about overcrowding at Yala threatening the sustainability of the park – all ‘Déjà vu’ and nothing new. (Organisers of such forums do know how to profit by getting down foreign experts to tell us what we already know).
A national park where certain rules of behaviour apply is usually created for several reasons; to preserve areas which have not yet been destroyed, to improve the existing environment and to restore damaged habitats. The hosts are the wildlife and visitors should adapt to the environment. Are we seeing this in Yala? In 2011 Yala had close upon 316,000 visitors. Five years later the visitor number rose to over 650,000. In terms of ‘Visitor Density per Square Kilometer’ it translates to 672 visitors per sq. km. last year). It is really getting crowded over there.
The increase in visitors has meant that the people running the park have made a huge amount of money. Beyond this nothing…absolutely nothing else has changed for the better. When we have to make a choice between profiteering and preservation, we will always choose profiteering. So expect nothing to really happen.
Yala, like any other national park will not last forever unless we conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. Unfortunately, this appears to be the road less travelled.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier |
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