conservation

Legal protection to reptiles came into effect when the 1937 Fauna and Flora Protection Act (FFPA) was declared in 1938. In this, only the Water Monitor ( Varanus salvator ) was listed as a protected reptile. The situation was substantially changed by the seventh amendment to the act in 1993, in which according to the provisions in section 30, all Sri Lankan reptiles, excluding the 5 highly venomous land snakes (Bungarus caeruleus, Bungarus ceylonicus, Naja naja, Daboia russelii and Echis carinata) were listed as protected species. As these five species are capable of causing death to humans, they are not given legal protection. (Gunawardena,1995).

According to the 1999 list of threatened species of Sri Lanka published by IUCN, 87 (55.4%) species of the inland reptiles (excluding marine forms) are considered to be nationally threatened. This includes an alarming amount of 82.7% endemics. Out of the listed species, 12 species have been categorized as 'Highly Threatened (HT), while the other 75 species are listed as 'Threatened (TR)'. [Table 1]

Table 1. List of the Nationally threatened reptiles of Sri Lanka

Family Bataguridae

1. Melanochelys trijuga

Family Trionychidae

2. Lissemys punctata

Family : Testudinidae

3. Geochelone elegans

Family Crocodylidae

4. Crocodylus porossus

5. Crocodylus palustris

Family Agamidae

6. Calotes ceylonenis

7. Calotes liocephalus

8. Calotes lioleps

9. Calotes nigrilabris

10. Ceratophora aspera

11. Ceratophora stoddartii

12. Ceratophora tennentii ^HT

13. Ceratophora erdeleni ^HT

14. Ceratophora karu ^HT

15. Lyriocephalus scutatus

16. Cophotis ceylanica ^HT

17. Otocryptis wiegmanni

Family Chamaeleonidae

18. Chameleo zeylanicus

Family Gekkonidae

19. Cnemaspis jerdonii scalpensis

20. Cnemaspis podihuna ^HT

21. Cnemaspis tropidogaster

22. Calodactylodes illingworthorum

23. Cyrtodactylus fraenatus

24. Geckoella collegalensis

25. Geckoella triedra

26. Geckoella yakhuna

27. Cosymbotus platyurus

28. Hemidactylus depressus

Family Scincidae

29. Chalcidoseps thwaitesii

30. Lankascincus deignani

31. Lankascincus deraniyagalae

32. Lankascincus gansi

33. Lankascincus taprobanensis

34. Lankascincus taylori

35. Dasia halianus

36. Mabuya beddomii

37. Mabuya madaraszi

38. Nessia bipes

39. Nessia burtonii

40. Nessia deraniyagalai

41. Nessia didactylus

42. Nessia hikanala ^HT

43. Nessia layardi

44. Nessia monodactylus

45. Nessia sarasinorum

46. Sphenomorphus dorsicatenatus^HT

Family Lacertidae

47. Ophisops minor

Family Typlopidae

48. Typhlops ceylonicus ^HT

49. Typhlops lankaensis ^HT

50. Typhlops leucomelas

51. Typhlops mirus

52. Typhlops porrectus

Family Uropeltidae

53. Cylindrophis maculate

54. Rhinophis blythii

55. Rhinophis dorsimaculatus ^HT

56. Rhinophis oxyrhynchus

57. Rhinophis philippinus

58. Rhinophis trevelyanus

59. Rhinophis tricolorata

60. Uropeltis ruhunae ^HT

Family Boidae

61. Eryx conica brevis

62. Python molurus molurus

Family Acrochordidae

63. Acrochordus granulatus

Family Colubridae

64. Aspidura brachyorrhos

65. Aspidura copei

66. Aspidura deraniyagalae ^HT

67. Aspidura drummondhayi

68. Aspidura guentheri

69. Aspidura trachyprocta

70. Balanophis ceylonensis

71. Boiga barnesi

72. Cercaspis carinata

73. Chrysopelea ornata

74. Chrysopelea taprobanica

75. Dendrelaphis oliveri

76. Dryocalamus gracilis

77. Dryocalamus nympha

78. Gerarda prevostianus

79. Haplocercus ceylonensis

80. Lycodon osmanhilli

81. Oligodon calamarius

82. Oligodon sublineatus

83. Xenochrophis asperrimus

Family Elapidae

84. Bungarus ceylonicus

Family Viperidae

85. Hypnale nepa

86. Hypnale walli

87. Trimeresurus trigonocephala

^HT Highly Threatened

The 2007 Red List assessment was more detailed and for the first time threat categories were assigned to the species. (IUCN & MOENR, 2007). [Table 2]

Table 2. List of the Nationally threatened reptiles of Sri Lanka

Lizards

Snakes

Others

Family Agamidae

Calotes ceylonensis - VU

Calotes desilvai - CR

Calotes liocephalus - EN

Calotes lioleps - VU

Calotes nigrilabris - VU

Ceratophora aspera - EN

Ceratophora erdeleni - CR

Ceratophora karu - CR

Ceratophora stoddartii - EN

Ceratophora tennentii - EN

Cophotis ceylanica - EN

Cophotis dumbara - CR

Family Gekkonidae

Calodactylodes illingworthorum - EN

Cnemaspis podihuna - EN

Cnemaspis samanalensis - EN

Cnemaspis tropidogaster - EN

Cyrtodactylus cracens - CR

Cyrtodactylus edwardtaylori - CR

Cyrtodactylus fraenatus - CR

Cyrtodactylus ramboda - CR

Cyrtodactylus soba - EN

Cyrtodactylus subsolanus - CR

Hemiphyllodactylus typus - EN

Lepidodactylus lugubris - EN

Family Scincidae

Chalcidoseps thwaitesii - CR

Lankascincus deignani - EN

Lankascincus deraniyagalae - EN

Lankascincus taylori - VU

Mabuya beddomii - EN

Mabuya bibronii - EN

Mabuya floweri - VU

Nessia bipes - EN

Nessia didactylus - EN

Nessia hickanala - CR

Nessia layardi - EN

Nessia monodactylus - EN

Nessia sarasinorum - EN

Family Lacertidae

Ophisops leschenaultii lankae - VU

Family Acrochodidae

Acrochordus granulatus - EN

Family Boidae

Gongylophis conicus - VU

Family Colubridae

Aspidura deraniyagalae - CR

Aspidura drummondhayi - CR

Balanophis ceylonensis - VU

Boiga ranawanei - CR

(now considered as

Cerberus rynchops - VU

Cercaspis carinatus - VU

Chrysopelea taprobanica - VU

Dendrelaphis caudolineolatus - VU

Gerarda prevostiana - CR

Liopeltis calamaria - VU

Oligodon calamarius - VU

Family Viperidae

Hypnale walli- EN

Family Testudinidae

Geochelone elegans - VU

Family Trionychidae

Lissemys punctata - VU

CR- Critically Endangered, EN- Endangered, VU- Vulnerable

Furthermore, 10 reptile species in the country are listed under different categories in the IUCN 2002 Global Red List. These include three endemic species [Table 3].

Table 3. List of the Globally threatened reptiles in Sri Lanka

Scientific Name

Common Name

Red list Category

01. Crocodylus palustris

02. Calotes liocephalus ^Endemic

03. Ceratophora tennentii ^Endemic

04. Python molurus

05. Melanochelys trijuga parkeri ^Endemic

06. Caretta caretta

07. Chelonia mydas

08. Eretmochelys imbricata

09. Lepidochelys olivacea

10. Dermochelys coriacea

Marsh Crocodile

Crestless Lizard

Leaf-nosed Lizard

Rock Python

Parker's Black Turtle

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Green Turtle

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Leatherback Turtle

LR/nt

VU - Vulnerable ; EN - Endangered ; CR - Critically Endangered ; LR/nt - Lower Risk - near threatened

As Sri Lanka is a signatory to the CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species), commercial trade of species between countries has been restricted. According to the convention, eight species of Sri Lankan reptiles are listed under the Appendix I and nine under Appendix II. [Table 4]

Table 4. List of the reptiles of Sri Lanka listed in the CITES
Appendix	No. of species	Species
I	8	Crocodylus palustris, Crocodylus porosus, Python molurus, Varanus bengalensis, Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Lepidochelys olivacea
II	9	Crocodylus porosus , Chameleo zeylanicus , Varanus salvator , Eryx conica , Ptyas mucosus , Naja naja , Dermochelys coriacea , Geochelone elegans , Lissemys punctata

The Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Forest Department of Sri Lanka have declared several wildlife protected areas, which have a large role in the in situ conservation of the reptiles as well as the other animals and plants in the country. The declared protected areas include (as up-to May 2008), three Strict Nature Reserves [Hakkgala, Yala central & Ritigala]; 20 National Parks [e.g. Ruhunu (Yala), Wilpattu, Galoya, Kumana (Yala-East), Udawalawe, Lahugala, Maduruoya, Wasgomuwa, Flood plains, Somawathi, Horton plains, Bundala, Lunugamwehera, Minneriya-Giritale, Kaudulla, Horagolla, Hikkaduwa (marine) & Pigeon islands (marine)]; four Nature Reserves [Thrikonamadu, Minneriya-Giritale, Wetahirakanda & Flood plains]; 62 Wildlife Sanctuaries and two wildlife corridors. Additionally there are proposed wildlife refuges and some buffer zones which are not officially declared as yet. The forest department also manages a considerable number of forest reserves.

Ultimately it appears that successful conservation of reptiles in the country will have to largely depend on educational organizing. Without good extension work, which encourages the full participation of local people to implement and maintain conservation plans in their areas, there are few good prospects for protection of the reptiles and other wildlife species in the country.