Tracing country’s biodiversity exploration

Eminent biodiversity scientist, author, and conservationist Dr. Rohan Pethityagoda’s latest research publication Green Gold: The Discovery of Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity was launched ceremoniously on 7 November at Genesis, Colombo 10 – the innovative hub of Dilmah. The event was attended by the Chairman of Dilmah Tea, Dilhan Fernando, university professors, researchers, environmentalists, other guests, and the media.

A comprehensive study on Sri Lanka’s biodiversity exploration
Published by Dilmah Conservation, the research book is in fact, a revised and expanded edition of Pearls, Spices and Green Gold: An Illustrated History of Biodiversity Exploration in Sri Lanka – a previous research publication penned by Dr. Pethiyagoda published in 2007. The revised version explores how biodiversity research and development progressed in Sri Lanka since colonial times. What the British had in plan for Sri Lanka at the time mainly involved making profits via plantation, basically extracting the best out of pristine and fertile lands of the tropical island nation. However, along with the majority of British settlers who were after riches, there also were some explorers and scientists who became amateur natural historians of extraordinary capacity. Their efforts of exploration and introducing scientific inquiry to the country resulted in many other professional biologists from the western world arriving in the country, further accelerating the pace of discovery. As the colonial plantations found root in Sri Lanka, giving birth to a stable education system which opened its doors to some natives as well, a group of local explorers also emerged who possessed not only the academic requirements to conduct research but also an undying passion to comb jungles of Ceylon in search of uncovering the unique flora and fauna of the country. Green Gold reveals the story; of how the biodiversity inventory of Sri Lanka was built – from colonial times to the post-independence era. It describes how the biodiversity exploration of Sri Lanka was contributed, largely by a hodgepodge of amateurs and dilettantes motivated by curiosity and driven by a love of nature.

In the chapters of the book, Dr. Pethiyagoda explores the invention of various crops such as cinnamon, tea, rubber, cocoa, cinchona, and coffee as well as the quest for the pearls on the Indian Ocean off Mannar, which has paved the way, to scientific study on biodiversity. Later, it gives a more detailed account of how the exploration of flora and fauna progressed in the country. Also found in the book, scattered among the pages are some interesting ‘asides’ containing interesting trivia and slices of history, which are ideal breathing spaces for the continuous reader. Some of the interesting asides include; ‘how the sloth bear got its name’, ‘the art of zoology’, ‘the Starry Shrub-frog’, ‘how the torque macaque got its name’, and ‘the discovery of Horton Plains’.   

Resourceful account of the country’s history
Although a detailed account of the history of biodiversity research in Sri Lanka by and large, the book also allows the reader to have some insightful sneak peeks into the colonial society and how the economy, education, and social structure of the country were formed during the colonial rule. As the primary goal of the colonials was the extraction of riches mainly via plantation, it is only natural how the plantation endeavours had shaped the country in many ways other than scientific research but the writer has made it a point to include these effects as well in the book.

With good reason and evidence to back up his claims, he explores the idea of how the British had nourished the biodiversity research in the country and progressed into the post-independence era – early post-independence era to be particular – during which the decline of scientific research was distinctly observed. The growing nationalistic and sovereignty ideologies had painted the colonials as the ‘bad guy’ which created a distrust of ‘western’ systems, which included science and research. As the biodiversity exploration was an exercise fraught with colonial overtones at the time, it naturally suffered rejection from society which, the writer opines, was a huge disadvantage to the flora and fauna research.

The book also sheds light on people associated with the modern discovery of Sri Lanka’s flora and fauna. While some of these names are much familiar to the avid naturalists some lesser-known personnel whose contribution to the scientific discovery of the island’s biodiversity have also been given their due recognition.

Another ‘green’ investment by Dilmah
Speaking of Dr. Pethiyagoda’s latest publication, the Chairman of Dilmah Tea said that what led to the compilation of the revised and expanded second edition was his exploration of Dr. Pethiyagoda’s previous 2007 publication, Pearls, Spices and Green Gold: An Illustrated History of Biodiversity Exploration in Sri Lanka. As this volume has long been out of print, Fernando was unable to get his hands on a hard copy but managed to receive a soft copy. As Dilmah is heavily invested in the conservation and exploration of the country’s biodiversity and natural resources, it was only natural that Dilmah wanted to bring the wealth of knowledge of the first edition back into pages but instead of printing the first edition Dr. Pethiyagoda was invited to add more. “As the recent economic crisis demands fresh appreciation of our island’s natural wealth, and due respect of her tea, coffee, spices and biodiversity, we invited him to upgrade and expand that text with information and imagery that has since come to hand. Of this, there was a considerable body and Green Gold: The Discovery of Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity is the result,” revealed Fernando inviting all to read this simply-told formidable body of work and be inspired.  

About the author
Dr. Pethiyagoda is a biomedical engineer turned biodiversity scientist, most of whose career has been invested in the exploration of Sri Lanka’s vanishing natural landscapes. His work has focused particularly on amphibians and freshwater fishes, and he has discovered dozens of new species. he has served as the Deputy Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission and as an Environment Adviser to the Government of Sri Lanka. He is the author of 80 scientific papers and numerous books including Freshwater Fishes of Sri Lanka (1991) and Horton Plains: Sri Lanka’s Could-forest National Park (2012). His work has been recognised by the award of the Linnean Medal for Zoology (2022) and the fellowship of the National Academy of Sciences, Sri Lanka. His contribution to biodiversity science has also been recognised by peers who have named numerous fish, amphibians, reptiles, arachnids and odonate taxa in his honour. In 2000, Dr. Pethiyagoda’s work to explore methods of restoring tropical montane cloud forests was recognised by his receiving of a Rolex Award for Enterprise. Currently, he spends his time between Colombo and Sydney, Australia where he is a Research Associate at the Australian Museum. 

Read ‘Tracing country’s biodiversity exploration’ – within the pages of Ceylon Today Sunday, by Sanuj Hathurusinghe: https://ceylontoday.lk/2023/11/11/tracing-countrys-biodiversity-exploration/