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2007 Red List of Threatened Fauna and Flora of Sri Lanka

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The 2007 Red List of Threatened Fauna and Flora of Sri Lanka This publication has been jointly prepared by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) in Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The preparation and printing of this document was carried out with the financial assistance of the Protected Area Management and Wildlife Conservation Project and Royal Netherlands Embassy in Sri Lanka. i The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. This publication has been jointly prepared by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The preparation and publication of this document was undertaken with financial assistance from the Protected Area Management and Wildlife Conservation Project and the Royal Netherlands Government. Published by: The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Copyright: © 2007, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Sri Lanka. Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: IUCN Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (2007) The 2007 Red List of Threatened Fauna and Flora of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka. xiii+148pp. ISBN: 978 - 955 - 8177 - 63 - 1 Cover photograph: Poppy’s Shrub Frog (Philautus poppie) Morning side, Sinharaja Forest © Vimukthi Weeratunga Produced by: The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Printed by: Karunaratne & Sons Ltd. 67, UDA Industrial Estate Katuwana Road Homagama Available from: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources 82, Rajamalwatta Road Battaramulla, Sri Lanka The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Sri Lanka Country Office 53, Horton Place Colombo 7, Sri Lanka ii CONTENTS List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................... v Red Listing Team ..................................................................................................................................... vi Expert Reviewers.................................................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. x Message from the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources......................................................... xi Message from the Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources ........................................ xii Foreword ................................................................................................................................................. xiii Biodiversity of Sri Lanka: A Brief Overview ............................................................................................. 2 The Process of Preparing the 2007 National Red List .............................................................................11 Analysis of Species Conservation Status ............................................................................................... 18 The Conservation Status of Fauna ................................................................................................18 The Conservation Status of Flora.................................................................................................. 21 Geographical Distribution of Threatened Species in Sri Lanka ................................................................. 80 An Overview of Threats to Biodiversity ................................................................................................... 84 Potential Applications of the National Red List and the Way Forward ....................................................... 95 Annexes Annex 1: Understanding the IUCN categories, concepts and definitions .................................................. 101 Annex 2: Summary of the criteria used for evaluation of threatened species ........................................... 103 Annex 3: Data sources ............................................................................................................................ 105 Annex 4: Vertebrate fauna listed under the near threatened (NT) category ............................................... 126 Annex 5: Invertebrate fauna listed under the near threatened (NT) category ............................................ 131 Annex 6: Vertebrate fauna listed under the data deficient (DD) category .................................................. 135 Annex 7: Invertebrate fauna listed under the data deficient (DD) category ............................................... 139 Annex 8: Species of flora listed under the near threatened (NT) category ................................................ 145 Annex 9: Species of flora listed under the data deficient (DD) category ................................................... 147 iii LIST OF FIGURES AND T ABLES List of Figures Figure 1 - Bioclimatic zones of Sri Lanka 4 Figure 2 - 25 km2 grid map of Sri Lanka, with vegetation cover and district boundaries 13 Figure 3 - Distribution of threatened flora in the administrative districts of Sri Lanka 81 Figure 4 - Distribution of threatened reptiles, birds and mammals in the administrative 82 districts of Sri Lanka Figure 5 - Distribution of threatened reptiles, birds and mammals in relation to forest cover 87 Figure 6 - Distribution of threatened plant species in relation to forest cover 88 Figure 7 - Distribution of threatened freshwater fish species in river basins 90 List of tables Table 1 - Diversity of inland natural ecosystems in Sri Lanka 2 Table 2 - Species richness of inland and marine fauna in Sri Lanka 3 Table 3 - Species richness of flora in Sri Lanka 3 Table 4 - Summary of threatened inland indigenous vertebrate fauna in Sri Lanka 18 Table 5 - Summary of threatened inland indigenous invertebrate fauna in Sri Lanka 19 Table 6 - List of extinct amphibian fauna in Sri Lanka 23 Table 7 - List of threatened vertebrate fauna 24 Table 8 - List of threatened invertebrate fauna 40 Table 9 - Globally threatened marine vertebrate fauna inhabiting the territorial waters of Sri Lanka 49 Table 10 - Globally threatened migratory birds that visit Sri Lanka 51 Table 11 - Summary of the status of flora 52 Table 12 - List of extinct plant species in Sri Lanka 55 Table 13 - List of Threatened plant species in Sri Lanka 58 Table 14 - Unaccessed plant species in Sri Lanka listed as globally threatened 77 Table 15 - Distribution of threatened fauna and flora in the administrative districts of Sri Lanka 80 Table 16 - Statistics on the human population density, forest cover, threatened vertebrates and threatened plants in the administrative districts in Sri Lanka 85 iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank BDS Biodiversity Secretariat CCD Coast Conservation Department CEA Central Environmental Authority DA Department of Agriculture DNBG Department of National Botanical Gardens DC Department of Customs DF Department of Fisheries DWC Department of Wildlife Conservation DZG Department of Zoological Gardens E English vernacular name/s FD Forest Department GIS Global Information System IAS Invasive Alien Species ID Irrigation Department IUCN The World Conservation Union MOENR Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources MOU Memorandum of Understanding NEC-BD National Experts Committee on Biodiversity NSCAG National Species Conservation Advisory Group NSD National Species Database NSF National Science Foundation PA Protected Area PGIS Post Graduate Institute of Science S Sinhala vernacular name/s SCU Species Conservation Unit SSC Species Survival Commission UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WHT Wildlife Heritage Trust YZA Young Zoologists’ Association v RED LISTING TEAM Technical Supervision and Guidance Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya (IUCN) Dr. Devaka Weerakoon (University of Colombo) Project Managers Mr. Gamini Gamage (MoENR) Mr. Vimukthi Weeratunga (IUCN) Project Coordinators Mr. Sarath Ekanayake (IUCN) Mr. Bhathiya Kekulandala (IUCN) Ms. Dakshini Perera (MoENR) Ms. Hasula Wickramasinghe (MoENR) Database Specialist/Designer Mr. Janaka Heenkenda Mapping Specialist and GIS Analyst Mr. V. A. P. Samarawickrama (IUCN) Data Compilors Mr. Samantha Suranjan Fernando (IUCN) Mr. Sampath de Alwis Goonatilake (IUCN) Mr. W. P. Naalin Perera (IUCN) Mr. Dilup Chandranimal (IUCN) Mr. Sameera Karunarathna (IUCN) Compilation and Editing of Publication Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya (IUCN) Dr. Devaka Weerakoon (University of Colombo) vi EXPERT REVIEWERS
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