At Eco Team, we are guided by our own environmental and community policies that we have developed in line with national and international acceptable practices. We seek to educate all stakeholders (including our clients) in order to get the maximum participation and acceptance for this policy.

The concept of saving the leopards that were being killed outside the boundaries of the Yala National Park came into being in the early part of 2006. The late Dr. Ravi Samarasinge, Shiromi Kulatunge and Darrel Bartholomeusz; three wild life enthusiasts, realized that many leopards were being hunted outside the park, and felt that something should be done to reduce it.

It appeared that the main reason for this hunting was the high density of leopards within Block 1 of the Yala National Park. Some leopards seemed unable to have a territory of their own and therefore ventured outside the boundaries of the Park. It may also be that attacking domestic cattle is easier than the hunt for prey within the Park.

The three of them found that a number of leopards were being killed by the villagers because the leopards attacked their cattle. The three of them had community meetings with the villagers including the cattle herders ( 60 cattle herders at present who own approximately 3000 cattle/ buffaloes) and further found out that the leopards mainly attacked the calves.

After much discussion and research, they tried out an idea which they felt would help the cattle herders and in turn save the leopard. They designed a cage made of chain link which was 10ft x 20ft x 5ft. Furthermore, the cages are mobile and therefore when the cattle are moved from place to place for their grazing the cages  can be moved with ease.After the cattle were herded in the evenings, the calves were put into this cage for the night. It proved to be a success and at present 07 such cages are in use. The cage is covered on all sides, so that the leopard cannot enter from any angle.

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The raw materiel for the cages is given to the committee and the cages are made by the villagers. The cost of the raw material per cage is approximately Rs. 30, 000/- . The cages are given to the committee of the cattle herders, and it decides to which herder the cage/s should be donated. Discussions with the herders, after this idea was put into practice, reveals that the leopards have attempted to attack the calves on numerous occasions and have been prevented from doing so because of the cages. The herders are very happy with the idea and the number of killings has reduced. However, this information is not documented; it is based on the feed back from the cattle herders and other villagers.

There is a representative in the area, namely D. K. Susantha, who has been provided with a motorbike and mobile phone. The project is funded by wild life enthusiasts and the representative on site is sponsored by Arcadian Trading (Pvt) Limited.

The representative liaises with the cattle herders and forwards the information to those involved in the project. If there is a leopard that has been seen in the vicinity, the cattle herders notify the representative so that a cage may be provided for the protection of their cattle. There have not been any complaints received with regard to any set back in the design of the cages.

There were queries from a group of scientists from India with regard to the success of these cages. There is a problem with leopards that prevails in India as well, namely in a region approximately 200 km outside the city of Mumbai. However, the problem there is with the leopards attacking and killing  humans as opposed to cattle. The area is planted with sugarcane and the loss of habitat has meant the loss of the leopards’ natural prey.

At present, there has been a request from the cattle herders for 4-5 more cages, and the group is in the process of collecting funds to make these cages.

Eco Team, with www.leopardssrilanka.com is co-funding this project and has initiated a school awareness programme in the border villagers on the importance of conserving leopards and habitats.

Happy to be fathers !   

On September 27th 2008, Eco Team handed over the first sponsorship payment for a 2 year old baby elephant Kumar, on behalf of donor Mr. Anu Gavini from USA, to the Director General of the Wildlife Department Mr.Ananda Wijesuriya . Kumar had been rescued from deep well in xxxxxx by villagers in 2006 when he was struggling for survival. Newly named as Mahoora, he will be released to the wild in another 2 years or so and this sponsorship under the Foster Parent Scheme will provide enough funds for the Wildlife department to bring him up to be a healthy little wild elephant.  

Our first adopted baby Malathi is now roaming the Udalwawe jungles, well adopted to a herd and no longer a baby.

Pambahinna Hospital is located in a small hamlet in the Ratnapura District. The hospital serves the villagers in that village and many others villagers nearby.  We initiated a complete renovation of this hospital through the Overseas School of Colombo.

In the small village of Seelogama (in the district of Ratnapura), we have initiated a complex project to raise the standards of the only pre-school in the area. The International School of Amsterdam is sponsoring the finances, ensuring that the project can facilitate not only the physical improvement of the buildings, but also take care of the educational needs of the children, requirements of the teachers and health issues. We have successfully completed the first phase of this project and currently on the verge of completing the second phase.

SOS is a world wide NGO which offers an alternative to foster care by providing children with families and permanent homes and communities.  We work very closely with its Sri Lankan chapter and have offered 4 opportunities in our staff. They work and live with us and have a strongly bonded community around them with their 'parents', 'brothers' and 'sisters'.

In September 2004, Eco Team began a programme of English Classes for our local staff in order to raise the standard of the service we offer our guests.  Although the majority of staff already had a basic grasp of the English language, the introduction of formal classes was considered an essential part of a wider programme of training and development.

The classes are being conducted by Charlotte Crowe from the UK who is presently Eco Team's Marketing and Product Development Officer.  Charlotte has previously taught English in Ecuador in South America and is reponsible for not only the teaching element but also the design of the syllabus.

Charlotte says, "The enthusiasm amongst the staff has been overwhelming and I've been impressed with how quickly they have picked up the complicated basis of the English grammatical system.  Not only are the classes important in terms of the improvement of the standards of English, but also in valuing and motivating our 'front-line' staff who meet the guests who come on our programmes."

In addition to the English Classes, the syllabus involves sessions on Customer Care, Team work, Team Leader Training and First Aid (see below for more information on Eco Team's recent First Aid Workshop).

Eco Team First Aid Workshop in collaboration with Sri Lanka Wild Life Conservation Society and Escape Tourism,
2^nd December 2004

Usually Wasgamuwa National Park is one of the location for our luxury campsites.  However, from 2^nd December, it provided the setting for a First Aid Training Programme for 8 of our Eco Team staff members who were invited to take part by Sri Lanka Wild Life Conservation Society and Escape Tourism.

The workshop, known officially as the 'Preliminary Emergency First Aid Course' was conducted by Nicci Parry and sponsored by the SLWCS.  Nicci, who was trained as a professional guide in Zimbabwe, educated the team on the responsibilities of a First Aider, including assessing a casualty, administering CPR, controlling bleeding, treating large wounds and burns, immobilising bone and joint injuries, giving appropriate treatment to other injuries, monitoring and recording vital signs, and finally passing on information when handing over the casualty to a trained medical team.

Eco Team would like to thank Mr Chandeep Corea of the SLWCS for inviting us to take part, providing accommodation and looking after us so generously.  Special thanks should also go to Nicci Parry for her excellent knowledge and ability to make learning fun and easy.