Wildlife Conservation and Land Rover : We Care

Land Rover is proud to announce their involvement in Wildlife Conservation through the “We Care” programme which aims to partner with on-going projects that helps to reduce Human - Animal conflict in Sri Lanka.

Conflict between people and animalsis one of the main threats to the continued survival of many species in different parts of the world, and is also a significant threat to local human population. If the solutions to conflicts are not adequate, local support for conservation will also decline. As human population expands and natural habitats shrink, people and animals are increasingly coming into conflict over living space and food.

In Sri Lanka, over 50 people are killed by elephants each year. Elephants are thusoften killed in retaliation. Over the last 100 years, the population of Asian elephants have declined to between 35,000 and 50,000from 100,000. Habitat loss and conflict with people are among the biggestthreats to their continued survival.

As with Elephants, the Human-Leopard conflictis also apressing issue. It isprevalent in the rural communities located around the Yala National Park. The locals depend on lives tock for their survival and thusresent the intrusion. As a result, angryvillagersseeking justice oftentakematters in to theirown hands and sadly, within the last 2 years about 5 leopards were found poisoned by herders,following leopard attacks totheirherds. This vicious cycle puts pressure on the numbers of theendemicspeciesthat are constantlydwindling.

Over the pastdecades, Land Rover has enjoyed a successful and rewardingpartnershipwith nature conservation through the Born Free Foundation and the Thread Lightly Organisation globally. The origins of the Born Free Foundation’srelationshipwith Land Rover dates all the way back to 1966,when Land Rover vehicleswerefeatured in the film 'Born Free'. The requirementwasthen as itisnow, using Land Rover vehicles to reach wildlife in the mostremote locations whilsteducatinggenerations. Land Rover will reinforcethese values whilst joining together with Project Orange Elephant and The Leopard Project in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society and Colombo Jewellery Stores established ‘Project Orange Elephant’ withthe aim of finding a solution for thehumanelephantconflict. The idearevolvesaround the use of acidicorangesthatElephantsfinddistasteful. However, the BibileSweetOrange commands a high value in the open marketsuch as bottled orange drinks, wines, jams, and concentratedcordials. By plantingthese oranges, farmerswillkeepaway the elephants but stillmakea living for theirfamilies. Land Rover will help in the challenge of raisingfunds for the SLWCS and in the education of Project Orange Elephant.

The Leopard Project is an on-going conservation initiative in Yala togetherwithCinnamon Nature Trailsnaturalists. The ‘Steel Pen’ distribution amongfarmers to protecttheircattleis a concept initiated and designed to minimize the human-leopardconflict, executed and monitored by Cinnamon Nature Trails. The SteelPens are designed to keepaway the Leopardswhilstprotecting the cattle. Land Rover willaid in the purchase, transport and distribution of theseSteelPens in the hope of minimalizing the conflict.

Land Rover isproud to announcetheirrole in protecting and finding solutions to these major conflicts. Alongside, Colombo Jewellery Stores and Cinnamon Nature Trails, Land Rover hopes to give a voice to conservation in Sri Lankabelievingthateach and everyonecanmakeadifference to the issues at hand. 

Land Rover will have aspecial UV signature wall at Colombo FashionWeekwhereeveryoneisinvited to place his or hernames. For everynamegarnered, Land Rover willdonate to the causes above. Join us, as westartthis important journey, at the Park Street Mews on the 20thFebruaryduring the Launch Party of Colombo FashionWeek 2016.