The Wasgamuwa Volunteer's Weekend

I wanted to go home this weekend (27th January 2012) Friday due to my registration of BA-Sociology degree program at the Open University of Sri Lanka. So I explained to the team this matter and every ones agreed to get a long holiday after doing so much of field activities in the last 12days continually. Then Gene who came from USA and stay here for 8weeks to help our elephant research activities during his period with us. From early, he was thinking to visit Dambulla, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura. Therefore I asked him to come with me since I can help him to find appropriate directions from Dambulla. So Naima and Reeve wanted to stay at the field House with Siriya doing some data entry works. So I assign them on some GIS works which is collect the GPS points in Pussallayaya each households where the SLWCS first fenced village, during their weekend here due to Naima needs to fulfill her 200h field works for her college.

I asked her to send me an update about the weekend works.

Posted by: Naima

Day: 18 - Getting to Know Villages

This morning was spent surveying the village we stay in. We had to get the GPS point
of every house in the village. Siria was our guide of the village today, which
made for an entertaining morning. But after about 40 houses, the rather
sweltering sun got to me and I decided to call it a day. Reeve, the fighter he
is, did a total of over 120 houses today. Aren't I proud?

Village bathers

Harvasted Corn in the farmers house

We got some tea at one of Siria's relative's

Afternoon,
we went fishing for dinner. I can't say i'm a fan- fish flopping about on the
shore till they die. Eeek. But Reeve was utterly contented. And now we have
dinner :)

A fisherman in his paddy fields

The fisherman with their nets

Routin of SLWCS Wasgamuwa

Another Beautiful day at Wasgamuwa SLWCS field house started with the nice sunrise. This scenery can be visual from the field house. People who stay this house love for this see on the morning with a cup of Ceylon tea.

I added this new transect to my Wasgamuwa agenda due to spacial request of our president of the society who Ravi Corea. He wanted to see the how elephant density of in between Weheragalagama village and the elephant corridor. So we started this from the tree hut and to go towards Wasgamuwa National Park border.

After take the GPS location of the start point the team started the new transect. I was waiting at the start point where around our tree hut because Jayathilaka who was leading the team wanted me to stay there till he pass 2km ahead. the time was 11.00am I went up to the tree hut, I heard a elephant rumble sound from the track. In a minute I got a telephone call from Jayathilake and said can't proceed the transect due to elephants. When they were trying to go forward they got elephant charge. at the same time I saw one elephant going towards WG-Tank. This is unbelievable thing to see an elephant at there in this time. eventually I asked Jayathilake to return with the team.

At around 4.00pm we went to the tree hut back for elephant observation activity. at 4.45pm the elephant came around tree hut, today we saw lots of interaction of human and elephants at the corridor.