Sri Lankan Rangers Trained to Handle Wildlife Crime Scenes – Being Better Prepared

Elephants in Sri Lanka | Image Credit : Yathin S Krishnappa, Elephas maximus (Bandipur), CC BY-SA 3.0

Conducted by the California-based ‘CSIwildlife’ unit of the Serendipity Wildlife Foundation, a special training programme was held last month for handpicked rangers from the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Covering outdoor training both during the day and at night, this comprehensive programme provided the needed know-how to help in wildlife-related crime scene investigations.

Phase One of this initiative took place at Giritale’s National Wildlife Training Centre and included components such as tyre tracks and footprints, search and seizure, DNA, crime scene photography, ballistics and more. It is hoped that once fully completed, such programmes will help to better equip local rangers to investigate and bring perpetrators of wildlife crimes to justice. The country has a rich biodiversity and in Sri Lanka, wildlife tours offered by specialists the likes of Cinnamon Nature Trails give travellers a chance to witness this natural heritage without causing harm.