v4i1.61

Submitted date: 13 January 2012
Accepted date: 2 March 2012
Published date: 28 May 2012
Pp. 20–26.

REPTILE DIVERSITY IN BERALIYA MUKALANA PROPOSED FOREST RESERVE, GALLE DISTRICT, SRI LANKA

D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna & A. A. Thasun Amarasinghe*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun.taprobanica@gmail.com

Abstract
Beraliya Mukalana Proposed Forest Reserve (BMPFR) is a fragmented lowland rainforest patch in Galle District, Sri Lanka. During our two-year survey we recorded a total of 66 species of reptile (28 Lizards, 36 Snakes and 2 Tortoises), which represents 31.4 % of the total Sri Lankan reptile fauna. Thirty-five of the species are endemic to Sri Lanka. Of the recorded 66 species, 1 species is Critically Endangered, 3 are Endangered, 6 are Vulnerable, 14 are Near-threatened and 4 are Data-deficient. This important forest area is threatened by harmful anthropogenic activities such as illegal logging, use of chemicals and land-fill. Environmental conservationists are urged to focus attention on this Wet-zone forest.

[b]Key words :Endemics, species richness, threatened, ecology, conservation, wet-zone

Section Editor: John Rudge