A set of recommendations have been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture based on information revealed in the report of the National Animal Census conducted in March.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Palika Fernando stated that the increase in animal populations appears to be linked to the improper management of waste.
Accordingly, the recommendations expected to be implemented are as follows:
- Proper waste management
- Sterilization programs
- Legal regulations necessary for wildlife management
- Community crop protection committees in areas with high animal populations
The National Animal Census was conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture on March 15, and the contents of the report was released earlier today (12).
According to the report, the total number of toque monkeys, langurs, peacocks, and giant squirrels across the country exceeds 13 million.
According to the animal census, the highest population of langurs was recorded in the Kandy District, with a count of 634,668.
Additionally, the highest number of monkeys, 160,315, was reported from the Anuradhapura District.
The highest numbers of giant squirrel and peacocks were reported from the Kurunegala District, with 546,715 and 621,517 respectively.
