Guest post by Christin Minge Male Asian elephants live rich social lives with a complex dynamic structure. They are often seen as solitary, but also frequently associate and interact with other males or female-groups depending on a variety of interconnecting factors, including life history, male dominance and alternative mating strategies, male and female sexual states … Continue reading Rambo, the Romeo
By USW Life has been a challenge for everyone these past two years. COVID-19 has made every little aspect different and difficult. Much like everyone else, I too, had to adapt and change to this new normal. The country’s situation was much better in 2020 than in 2021. As the virus started to spread, many … Continue reading Conservation Amidst COVID-19
By Salik Ansar & SdS Until the recent COVID-19 epidemic halted travel around the globe, the island of Sri Lanka thrived on tourism. A big part of the country’s GDP is attributed to tourism. According to Sri Lanka Tourism Development Association, 783,000 tourists visited Sri Lanka’s national parks in 2018, which is roughly 38% of … Continue reading The Consequences of Irresponsible Tourism
On World Elephant Day, Trunks & Leaves is challenging travelers and travel companies alike to commit to responsible tourism practices when it comes to viewing and interacting with Asian elephants. For the first time in recent history, the world has slowed down, the travel industry is on hold, and humankind has a chance to reflect … Continue reading Responsible Tourism & Ethical Elephant Experiences
Guest post by Drs. Priya Davidar & Jean-Philippe Puyravaud, Sigur Nature Trust All photos courtesy of Drs. Davidar & Puyravaud We were trained as plant ecologists but have made the decision of venturing into research on the Asian elephant. The reasons are two-fold: first, we have a lot of respect and affection for this animal, … Continue reading Why We Study The Asian Elephant
It was a perfectly framed shot of a young elephant breaking the electric fence, perhaps even looking a little gleefully smug about it. Still this was a relatively common incident, and while it was nice to catch at least one culprit in the act, the observation was hardly a breakthrough (pun intended). But as we … Continue reading Mind Over Matter
By Ilja Van Braeckel On a beautiful Sunday morning, I left for the Uda Walawe reservoir. I had traveled this way before, and I knew what to expect. This man-made reservoir is located within the national park’s boundaries, and is separated from the road by the electric fence. Being approximately 3400ha in size, it is … Continue reading Morning walk
Maximus 