Public talk on Highland Biodiversity View(s):A lecture on ‘Highland Biodiversity – Biodiversity of the upcountry Wet Zone’ will be delivered by naturalist, researcher and conservation biologist Rajika Gamage on January 8 (Thursday) at 6 pm at the Biology Lecture Theatre (BLT), Department of Zoology, University of Colombo. The lecture organised by the Sri Lanka Natural History Society (SLNHS) will focus on the upcountry Wet Zone in the Central Highlands, a globally-recognised biodiversity hotspot. The region, even after being assailed by large-scale deforestation in the coffee and tea plantation periods, still supports diverse ecosystems. It provides vital habitats for endemic plants, migratory and resident birds, insects, amphibians and iconic mammals such as the leopard and sambhur. Well-known naturalist, Rajika, is a specialist in butterflies and birds.

Source: Sunday Times January 04, 2026 07:01 UTC