We build scientific capacity for conservation.

The most impactful contribution we can make for conservation is investing in the next generation of conservation professionals. As such, we strive to empower the next generation of Sri Lankan conservationists. We accomplish this by engaging students and other early conservation professionals throughout all aspects of our projects. Each team member receives personal, hands-on training and mentoring to develop the scientific skills needed to achieve their career goals. We also partner with the Department of Wildlife Conservation to ensure our activities are aligned with country-wide priorities.

Our team is comprised of enthusiastic, motivated individuals passionate about biodiversity conservation in Sri Lanka. Are you interested in joining our team? Please get in touch with us.

Sri Lankan Biodiversity Research Grants

Through funds donated by the Oklahoma City Zoo, we support student-led biodiversity research projects throughout Sri Lanka. In this way, the OKC Zoo Sri Lankan Biodiversity Research Grant program seeks to foster the development of the next generation of conservations on the island.

Applicants must be currently enrolled in (or recently graduated from) an undergraduate or graduate program at a higher education institution in Sri Lanka, and applications must be accompanied by a letter of support from the principal research supervisor. For more information and to apply, please contact us.

To date, student grant recipients and their projects include:

  • Hansi Bandara (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Social behavior of Semnopithecus vetulus in heterospecific and conspecific groups

  • Umashi Wijerathne (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Exploring resource partitioning among avifauna in the Dambulla Kaludiya Pokuna forest, Sri Lanka

  • Chamali Amarasooriya (University of Peradeniya), Temporal variability in patterns of musth in captive male Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

  • W.M. Nuwani Tharaka and P.A.S. Roshima (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Conservation genetics of the endangered sky island lizard, Ceratophora stoddartii

  • Dhanani Sepalika (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Variation in social behavior and play among Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) calves in the Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks, Sri Lanka

  • K.A. Isuru Anuradha Kodithuwakku (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Relative abundance and diversity of selected faunal groups along the land use patterns of a restoration site at Walankanda Forest Reserve

  • Dewmi Mudalige (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Biodiversity and socio-economic conditions associated with freshwater tank ecosystems in different climatic zones of Sri Lanka

  • Udani Weerasinghe (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Relative abundance and activity patterns of meso mammals in the Kaludiyapokuna Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka

The Zoo Connection

Zoos are conservation leaders and serve global communities: beyond propagating threatened species and educating visitors, many zoos also conduct applied research, combat habitat loss and wildlife trafficking, engage policymakers, and build capacity in conservation science. At The Sri Lanka Elephant Project, we are proud to partner with the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden to maximize the impact of our work and develop synergistic conservation, research, and outreach strategies. We share Oklahoma City Zoo’s vision of a world where all people take action to conserve wildlife and wild places.

Our research projects often employ a “field-to-fence” approach: what we learn from elephants in Sri Lanka can help us enhance the care we provide to elephants in zoos, and the unparalleled glimpse into the daily lives of our elephants in zoos can help us to understand basic underpinnings of elephants in the wild. The Oklahoma City Zoo is a leader in elephant care and research, managing a multi-generational herd of Asian elephants that replicates the complex social structures we frequently observe in the field in Sri Lanka. Discover more about what we’ve learned from complementary research involving wild and zoo-housed Asian elephants.

Funding for The Sri Lanka Elephant Project comes from Oklahoma City Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation program, whereby guests to the Zoo have opportunities to contribute to conservation with small contributions during their visit. In this way, the Oklahoma City community (and beyond) are everyday conservationists, supporting the vital work of The Sri Lanka Elephant Project and other conservation programs around the world. Learn more about Round Up for Conservation and its impact.