Sustainable Coexistence Research & Education Network

What stories from the Ice Age teach us about Climate Change today? ❄️🦣🌿

Travel back in time tomorrow at SCREEN Talks 6.0, the sixth session of our knowledge sharing series.

📅 Today, 19 June 2026
⏰ 11.15 a.m.–12.15 p.m.
📍 Department of Town and Country Planning

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What stories from the Ice Age teach us about Climate Change today? ❄️🦣🌿

Travel back in time tomorrow at SCREEN Talks 6.0, the sixth session of our knowledge sharing series.

📅 Tomorrow, 19 June 2026
⏰ 11.15 a.m.–12.15 p.m.
📍 Department of Town and Country Planning

Seats are filling fast-don't miss out!

👉 Register now: https://forms.gle/QMPkqE7SrbqFN9y2A

What stories from the Ice Age teach us about the Climate Change today? ❄️🦣🌿

Travel back in time with us at SCREEN Talks 6.0, the sixth session of our knowledge sharing series.

📅 19 June 2026
⏰ 11.15 a.m.–12.15 p.m.
📍 Department of Town and Country Planning

Register now, do not miss it!
https://forms.gle/QMPkqE7SrbqFN9y2A

Join our Whatsap Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E9AdUYJfXVy8IlmtSucYY5?s=cl&p=a&mlu=2

What stories from the Ice Age teach us about the Climate Change today? ❄️🦣🌿

Travel back in time with us at SCREEN Talks 6.0, the sixth session of our knowledge sharing series.

📅 19 June 2026
⏰ 11.15 a.m.–12.15 p.m.
📍 Department of Town and Country Planning

Register now, do not miss it!

https://forms.gle/QMPkqE7SrbqFN9y2A

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 (𝗠𝗘𝗥) 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲?

The Managed Elephant Reserve (MER) in Hambantota was originally proposed as a landscape-scale solution to Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC), based on scientific studies of elephant movement patterns and habitat use.

Using radio-collar tracking data, researchers identified important elephant habitats and movement corridors connecting the Udawalawe, Lunugamvehera, and Bundala landscapes. The original MER concept was designed to maintain ecological connectivity while supporting long-term coexistence between people and elephants.

The first map illustrates this original vision, showing the area identified through elephant movement studies and habitat-use patterns. It represents the landscape considered necessary to support viable elephant populations and maintain connectivity across southern Sri Lanka.

However, the reserve that was eventually gazetted in 2021 was significantly smaller than the area originally identified for effective elephant habitat management. The second map shows the officially declared Hambantota Managed Elephant Reserve published through Gazette Extraordinary No. 2222/62 on 09 April 2021, representing the area that is now legally recognized and managed under Sri Lankan law.

📍 Original proposed MER: approximately 35,600 hectares

📍 Gazetted MER (2021): 23,746.55 hectares

📍 Area excluded for Mattala International Airport: 866 hectares

📍 Effective MER area: approximately 22,880 hectares

📍 Hambantota has already lost nearly 8,000 hectares of elephant habitat due to major development projects, including ports, airports, roads, and associated infrastructure.

The comparison highlights how the MER evolved from a scientifically identified conservation landscape into a legally declared reserve shaped by competing development and land-use priorities.

These changes raise important questions about the balance between development and conservation, and whether sufficient space remains to achieve the original vision of long-term human-elephant coexistence.

This post is part of our MER Information Series, inspired by discussions and insights shared during the recent SCREEN Talk featuring veteran planner Indu Weerasoori.

💬 What are your thoughts?

Can development and conservation coexist within the same landscape? What lessons can future planners learn from the MER experience?

📚 Information Sources:
Gazette Extraordinary No. 2222/62 (09 April 2021) | Daily Mirror (31 March 2021) | Mongabay (08 July 2021) | The Morning (2025) | Centre for Conservation and Research (CCR) | SCREEN Talk Series – Indu Weerasoori



The initial phase of this research was funded by research grant ( STC/AC/2025/04) from the faculty of graduate studies, UOM

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 (𝗠𝗘𝗥) 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱?

The Managed Elephant Reserve (MER) in Hambantota was first proposed in 2009 as a long-term planning response to the growing HumanElephant Conflict (HEC) in Sri Lanka.

Rather than viewing elephants and people as separate entities, the MER concept recognized that coexistence depends on how landscapes are planned, managed, and shared. The reserve was designed based on scientific evidence, including elephant movement patterns identified through radio-collar studies, and sought to protect critical habitats, water resources, movement corridors, and ecological connectivity.

The original vision was not simply to create another protected area. It was to establish a connected landscape where:
🐘 Elephants could continue their natural movements,
💧 Water systems remained functional,
🌳 Forest habitats were conserved,
🚜 Agriculture and settlements could develop sustainably, and
🤝 Human and elephant needs could coexist within the same region.

Although MER was proposed in 2009, implementation was delayed for more than a decade. During that period, development pressures, land conversion, and habitat fragmentation continued to reshape the landscape.

This flyer is the first post in our MER Information Series, inspired by insights shared during the recent SCREEN Talk featuring planner Indu Weerasoori

In the coming weeks, we will explore more about MER concept.
💬 What would you like to know about MER?

We would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and perspectives. Drop your questions in the comments below.

Your question may become the topic of our next post.

Sources: Daily Mirror (31.03.2021) | Mongabay (08.07.2021) | The Morning (2025)|SCREEN Talk Series-Indu Weerasoori.

Managed Elephant Ranges (MERs) කියන්නේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ අලි මිනිස් සහජීවනය සඳහා හඳුන්වා දුන් වැදගත් planning strategy එකක්. නමුත් ground reality එක original vision එකට කොච්චර සමීපද? 🤔

අද සවස plnr. I.S. Weerasoori සමඟ MERs planning process එක, implementation challenges, සහ future planning සඳහා ගන්න පුළුවන් lessons ගැන කතාබහකට එකතු වෙන්න.

📅 Today – May 24, 2026
🕕 6.00 PM – 7.30 PM
💻 Via Zoom
💬 Live Q&A Session
🔗 Join Here:

Zoom Meeting Link - https://learn.zoom.us/j/93686001018?pwd=dfQ8LqOyOgbAbSHcwiF4UUawoaWg4S.1
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