Wild Elephant Conservation - Sri Lanka

Zara Amber Start Date: Jun 11, 2017 - End Date: Jun 10, 2018
  • Sri Lanka

My Travel Story

by: Zara Amber Start Date: Jun 11, 2017 - End Date: Jun 10, 2018
In June 2018, I want to travel to Sri Lanka for 3 weeks to volunteer in the Wild Elephant conservation project. The project runs from 2 to 12 weeks, however, I can’t afford to stay longer than 3 weeks unfortunately (due to work commitments). The program fee for 3 weeks stay is $1,160 (approximately £910) and it is excluding the costs of vaccinations, visa, air tickets, transfer back to airport etc. In addition to that all IVHQ programs attract a Registration Fee of US$299 on top of the Program Fee. I definitely will contribute my own share towards the cost of this trip, but I really am in need of some extra help as well.

Elephants are my favourite animals and I am passionate about wildlife conservation projects, because to me biodiversity is the beauty of this planet. This planet is for all forms of life, and not only for humans. These family-oriented, loyal and loving animals are brutally killed for ivory trade and/or merely because people are not aware that how precious these beings are.

In Sri Lanka, Elephants hold great cultural and religious significance. However, elephants are viewed as a nuisance by many rural people, as they invade farms looking for crops. The aim of the Wild Elephant Conservation project in Sri Lanka is to develop effective measures to resolve human-elephant conflict and to ensure wild elephants are no longer being killed by local farmers.

Volunteer tasks in this project will include assessing human-elephant conflicts, mapping biodiversity using surveying techniques, assisting with the implementation of human-elephant conflict resolution projects, and developing sustainable rural livelihood initiatives. Elephants being killed due to human-elephant conflicts, ivory trade and tortured in captivity for work and riding businesses just breaks my heart. Hence, I want to travel and play my little part by volunteering in this project and try making a difference.

I want to play my part of being a human, and I think that I owe this much to this planet that gave me life. We are the dominant species of this planet, and what makes us different from other species is our free-will and compassion. However, it is sad that often we use our free-will for destruction or trade. Animals in wild kill for survival, but humans kill and hunt these lovely animals for trade, business, fun (hunting hobby) and money.

I don’t believe that it is too late to save these magnificent animals. However, unfortunately this alone does not really matter at times that how much you want or are passionate about a noble cause. Our compassion is not always enough in the real and logical world because in real world, even for the act of compassion and kidness, we need money.

I will be very thankful for every penny’s donation for this cause. It is passion for me but will also make a huge difference in community, and God (or whichever higher power you believe in – be it nature or universe or just in the power of being a good human) will bless you mightily for your kind heart.

The link to the project is;
https://www.volunteerhq.org/volunteer-in-sri-lanka/

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have questions about the project.

Many thanks,
Zara Amber.
  • Sri Lanka