According to an article from the Guardian website, the WWF has announced that 208 new species were discovered in Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong area in 2010. Discoveries included a new kind of monkey in Burma’s remote Kachin state, a rainbow gecko in Vietnam, and new species of carnivorous plants too.
Posts Tagged ‘wildlife’
From hectic life to escapism in 5 simple steps:
15 July 2011 by mattbrazier
1) Take an overnight flight from London to Colombo, arriving at the international airport around lunch. Drive to the Mudhouse, passing from busy Sri Lankan cities to idyllic flat plains and farming country of Anamadewa.
2) Settle in to your private Mudhouse hut, with your own ‘grounds’ including shower area, dining hut, hammock and outside chill area. Sip a beer whilst watching the sunset over the nearby lake and see a multitude of birds go fishing.
3) Have a beautiful cooked local Sri Lankan feast, including Ash Banana curry, spicy cabbage and sweet cucumber with roti and rice.
4) Wake up to the sound of the rainforest and take a morning walk with the local staff to ‘the rock’ where you can gain the most stunning views of the flat plains, tanks (lakes), and an obscene amount of bird life.
5) Fall asleep in your own hammock, and realise that you really are in one of the most special places in Sri Lanka, and not 36 hours before, you were probably rushing to the airport.
You have now escaped…. (more…)
The Horton Plains Slender Loris
19 July 2010 by Sam Clark
Listening to the Today Programme on the BBC this morning I heard an interesting snippet on Sri Lanka – namely that the Horton Plains Slender Loris, presumed extinct, has been found and caught on camera.
Apparently she has been missing in action since 1937 when the last confirmed sighting was made – though someone (presumably now feeling fairly smug) said they saw one in 2002. (more…)
Sri Lanka Hill Country Bungalows
11 November 2009 by Sam Clark
Sad news today that Netherbyres Bungalow, near Bandarawela, is no longer available for paying customers. It is a great place and all of our guests have had a wonderful time there – with its incredibly authentic atmosphere. Thanks so much to Ajita the owner and the family!
For those wanting the cool charms of an up-country retreat, there are still some great options. The Tea Trails bungalows are the original up-market tea country experience and the service is unrivalled. Bonnielands is not in the same luxury bracket but for fun and authenticity it cannot be beaten as Gemma Bowes from The UK Guardian found out! (more…)
Sri Lanka Elephants – The capture of the gentle giants
23 September 2009 by Sam Clark
This week we are delighted to have Sidantha Kumara as our guest blogger. Sid is one of our finest guides – a fantastic guy who has taught us so much about Sri Lanka. He shows a side of Sri Lanka not often seen and his passionate belief and strong ideas on the positive power of tourism has led him to develop some quite extraordinary tours. His main project is the Abode, but if you are looking for an alternative view of the cultural triangle or the Kandy region Sid is very definitely your man. He also organises and guides treks miles off the beaten track – for travel hardy adventurers only! One of his treks goes deep into elephant country – and elephants are a subject he feels deeply about as the following article shows:
“Safari tours first came to light in the early 18th centaury. The west made inroads in the spheres of discoveries. Before this large parts of Asia remain obscured form travelers eye. The post war period saw a massive boom in the world population driven by successful runs in the health and pharmaceutical industry. The earth became a crowded house to live in and the ever increasing pressure on natural resources further fueled the diminishing flora and fauna. The notion to create protected sites was born as a result.
The following account has been extracted form various travelers note books and compiled unfolding timeless events in Ceylon. (more…)
4000 Islands – Southern Laos
6 July 2009 by Harriet Clark
The Elusive Irrawaddy Dolphin
Kurulu Bedde
3 July 2009 by Tom Armstrong
Every now and again a property takes you complexly by surprise. I had been aware of Kurulu Bedde’s existence for quite some time and it had been on my ‘to see’ list for a while.
Monkey Business
30 June 2009 by Tom Armstrong
Over the past few years we have been doing our best the regenerate the forest in our land in Sri Lanka. Our protection and conservation efforts can be measured in various abstract ways. However, one sign that we hadn’t considered has recently reared its head (and teeth!). We know that we are definitely doing something right by the sudden arrival of monkeys to both our forest and farming area. Where we previously grew fruits for years without any hassle, the pesky buggers have re-appeared from neighbouring jungles and are feasting on our papayas and other sweet fruit.
Guyan the monkey man...
