Review

Harder times for orphans...

By Ranee Mohamed

Clothes of every size, shape and colour wave at us as we drive down Pamunuwa Road towards the area of the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital. All the way are shirts, trousers, frocks and reams of clothing material in every imaginable shade of colour.

But turn down to Sucharithodaya - a five acre space for people without family and parents and the colours begin to fade.

On the right side of this vast area is an old construction - its glazed paint is peeling off and the young children therein are in their teens. Difficult years they may be, but the young boys and girls say they are finding it more difficult to deal with life without their mothers.

It is the pink coloured single storied building, which looks like a piece of cake that catches our eye. In this cosy yet dark place are several little boys and girls who stand near the doorway expecting visitors with cake, biscuits and party food. Yet these are hard times and the authorities at the orphanage say that parties for orphans sadly are now going out of fashion.

Yet unaware of the hardships that surround them the children continue with their playing.

Small, old chairs 

Three year old Senali and her little brother sit on the small, old chairs. They are among 40 little children who lean on to each other for love and comfort. There is an ardent longing for the one precious individual they wish they were with - their mothers.

But  life tears away from us those who we love the most - those for whom we long the most. And for these young children of the Sucharithodaya Niwasaya situated in Polwatte, Maharagama, off Pamunuwa, the trauma of  not having that loving touch, the look of love and urgent caring have made them orphans to the world around them.

"It is clear that they want their mothers, but we are trying to do our best to give them a life free of want and prepare them to face the world outside," said caretaker in charge Nanda Liyanage.

Administrator, Chairman H.M. Muthubanda who has been with this orphanage for over 40 years walks along  with us. There are tears in his eyes as he remembers the children who have come in here in tears - and left in tears too. "We try to do our best, but we are in a situation today where we are finding it difficult to meet the growing needs of these young children," said Muthubanda.

They are conscious about what they are wearing. They say that this is their best frock, shirt and trouser.

Tenderness in their faces

 In the broken down, old surroundings it is the tenderness in their faces, the tears in their hearts and the yearning in their eyes  that stand out most. The old buildings and the rising dust are the surroundings they are fated to grow up in.

"It is protection, food and shelter that they need. We are aware that they need more,  but times are hard and donations and alms are thinning out," said Muthubanda. "We want to give the best to these children for these little ones have suffered so much. They ought to be compensated in one way or  another, but now we are having difficulty giving them milk and their other daily requirements. Clothes are in great demand. We have 40 little children in this children's section and little frocks, uniforms, blue trousers and white shirts are never  in excess," said Muthubanda.

"They attend the school in our compound and their bags are broken and they are constantly outgrowing their old shoes, but sometimes they have to just limp along and learn till we find some way to buy them a pair of shoes," explained Muthubanda who has a difficult task on his hands; finding shoes, clothes, books and other little essentials for 40 little children.

As the little children sat in the faded surroundings their spirits seem to have been coloured by our visit.

More immediate needs

Kosala (8) did not seem to think that shoes, school bags and uniforms are the more immediate needs. "My greatest wish is to eat chocolate," he said. Wispy Aravinda (9) had a different need: "strawberries," he said. "I love strawberries, can you get us some," he pleaded. "Tipi Tip" said Chaturanga (9), and Tharindu (11) wished for some apples. These children are part of 125 young boys and girls who are in this orphanage.

The sum of Rs.20  per day being paid by the state does not allow much imagination to go into the food of these little ones. As they dream of parties and cake, giving them a meal of bread and curry  seems to weigh down heavily on the authorities.

It is hard to imagine these little hands holding brooms and sweeping the floor and making beds and putting clothes out to dry. "But they  have to do all the work," said the caretaker. "They have their problems, their fights, their fears and tears and we have to sit in judgement and sort all these hurdles in life," said the administrators.

Physically and mentally handicapped

As we left them, their sad eyes followed us. Leaving them behind we walked down a slope which led to a special area - an  area with physically and mentally handicapped adults. Theirs was a lonely life full of wounds, sores and epileptic fits.

"These people seldom get a visitor," said Muthubanda. And the moment we stepped into their area we were surrounded by them. Happily they began to introduce themselves.

"Some of these people cannot eat by themselves and cannot attend to their personal hygiene. So it takes great dedication and long hours to see that all is well with them," explained Muthubanda.

"The unpredictable and dangerous individuals are kept inside a hall," said Muthubanda.

Newton was the most curious. Approaching us, he seemed to be eager to talk to us, but alas the words did not come. Newton could not talk coherently. "Kamisayak' (shirt) he said with difficulty, "and now he will keep expecting someone to bring him a shirt," said Muthubanda, as Newton continued to twist himself to take a peek at his collar size which he says is sixteen and a half.

Christie Leonard is a treat. He is tickled by our visit. As we spoke to him he began to hit his hands on the sides of his leg and laugh. This is the first time that I saw so much happiness in someone I had spoken to.

"A shirt and trouser"

Bare-bodied, Leonard shyly spoke out his greatest wish. "A shirt and trouser," he giggled as a serious-faced Shelton (30) walked in to disrupt the giggles and requested for a T-shirt. The oldest inmate Sumanesekera who joined the home in 1960 also had a request. "It is many years since I got a new shirt," he said sadly.

Everyone wanted to wear new clothes, everyone wanted to eat good food and be happy. "This is my greatest problem. I want to give them the best, I want to keep them happy, but times are becoming more and more difficult," said Muthubanda who is determined to keep the home going.

 "We began in 1945. We have had many people who helped us. The late Vijaya Kumaratunga was very compassionate and helped this home in a significant way. Even today Madam Chandrika Kumaratunga continues to help us in many different ways. She gives alms to the children too," said Muthubanda gratefully.

As the young mahogany trees swayed in the dusty surroundings, we left behind many sad hearts. There were so many unshed tears here as they longed for a loved one who could have made all the difference. Life is certainly about relationships and it is time we appreciated and cherished them with all our hearts.

The 'feel good' film of the decade

By Raisa Wickrematunge 

In the teeming slum of Garib Nagar, located on the fringes of Mumbai, families gathered around to watch the Oscars. People flocked to the nearesttelevision set, waiting with bated breath to hear the results. Nowhere was the excitement more intense than in the homes of Rubina Ali and Mohammed Azharuddin Ismail, two young children plucked from obscurity, to co-star in the movie Slumdog Millionaire.

This movie follows the life of a young man, Jamal Malik (Dev Patel). Working as a chai-wallah in a call centre, he enters the popular Indian reality show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Surprisingly, despite having very little in the way of formal education, he is able to answer the questions put to him correctly.

 Mystified, the police take him in for questioning. He is tortured, eventually revealing that he was able to answer the questions drawing from his own life experiences, from his life in the slums with his elder, often unscrupulous brother Salim, upto the time,  he finds employment at the call centre.

Each answer he gives correctly has a story attached to it. It turns out that Jamal is uninterested in riches, and entered the show to reconnect with his long-lost love, Latika (Freida Pinto) an orphaned girl he met just after the Hindu-Muslim riots.

Inexperienced actors

 He is tragically separated from her after he and his brother run away fearing a gang member who tries to train the trio as beggars. Yet he never stops searching for her, even after he is thwarted in his rescue attempts by his own brother.

The movie, directed by Danny Boyle, and based on the award-winning novel, Q & A by Vikas Swarup, created a stir from the start. Set and filmed in India, the cast contained members who had relatively little or no acting experience, such as the two aforementioned young children from the slums, who played the young Latika and Salim respectively. Even Freida Pinto, who played the eldest Lakita, was a model and had not starred even in a feature film before.

Filled with drama and pathos, this rags-to-riches tale seemed destined for success. On February 22, the movie won eight Academy Awards including the coveted Best Picture Award, also scooping up those for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography amongst others.

Even one of its songs, Jai Ho composed by A. R. Rahman, won the Best Original Song. It is the eighth film to win eight Academy Awards. Many Indians, rich and poor alike, exulted in the film's success.

Yet beneath the celebrations lay a hotbed of controversy. While many Westerners loved the film, some Indians found it insulting. Director and filmmaker Priyadarshan commented that "The West loves to see us as a wasteland, filled with stories of exploitation and degradation," while filmmaker Aadesh Shrivastava disliked the way Indians were stereotyped in the film.

Tapeshwar Vishwakarma, who represents a slum dwellers welfare group, filed a defamation lawsuit against A. R Rahman and Anil Kapoor (who played Prem Kumar, the game show host). He alleged that slum-dwellers were portrayed in a bad light, and particularly objected to the word "slumdog" being used in the title. Slum-dwellers in Mumbai and even in Patna participated in protests. A Hindu activist group objected to the way that the Hindu god Rama was portrayed in the film.

Child actors underpaid

Meanwhile, the UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph, and ABC News reported that the child actors had been underpaid, with Azharuddin Ismail being paid 1700 pounds and Rubina Ali 500 pounds for a month's work. The Telegraph further reported that the children were still living in makeshift shacks, adding that Ismail's home had been demolished and he was sleeping under a plastic tarpaulin sheet with his father, a tuberculosis sufferer.

However it was later reported that the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority had given the child stars free one bedroom apartments so that they would no longer have to live in the slums. All the child actors playing Jamal, Latika and Salim also attended the Academy Awards, while producers and directors claimed that they  have set up trust funds to aid the young  stars' higher education.

Underworld of India

There is no doubt that the movie Slumdog Millionaire takes the viewer into the seamy underworld of India. Prostitution, gang fighting, the squalor, poverty and unhygienic conditions of the slums are all covered, not to mention the torture scene at the beginning of the film, with police resorting even to electrocution in an attempt to get the 18 year old Jamal to speak.

Yet, what resonates, is that despite the many adverse circumstances that the protagonist comes up against, he perseveres. He refuses to cheat in order to win the money on the show, and in the end, good triumphs over evil. In these bleak economic times, it seems that everyone is hankering for a happy ending, in the cinemas if nowhere else. And this film delivers exactly that. It is indeed aptly dubbed by some as the "feel good movie of the decade!"

Stay slim forever

Do you want to lose weight and keep it that way? There is no doubt that there will be many who will say `yes' to this question.  Reducing weight today has become one of the greatest problems. The battle of the bulge is on in a big way. We see many different gymnasiums, dances, aerobics and other physical activities aimed at losing weight.

Undoubtedly losing weight is the biggest fashion today. This article is based on personal experience because I  have seen people try various methods to reduce their excess weight.

The first warning is not to expect magical results. But if you do keep working at your given goal, your success will come sooner than expected. Yet one must be aware that permanent weight loss is a slow and steady process.

Give yourself at least six months to adopt new eating habits.  You can be your own doctor. The wonderful side effects of your new meal plan will be that  you may reduce the risk of some diseases such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease and some cancers. ÿ

Your commitment is the most important determining factor. Take a breath, promise yourself that this diet will be the last and think of the fact you really need to lose weight. However, analyse your own needs and maintain a balanced diet.

Think of a weight you were able to maintain comfortably and aim for that goal. Try to reach the weight that's right for you. If you are obese discuss about your desired weight  with your physician. Recognise the signs of eating disorders.

ÿ Find a picture of yourself before you were obese and look at it now and then. When you compare it to the present picture you will enjoy the new you.

Consider weight loss as a top priority. When you plan to eat at a restaurant or a function always find foods that are not loaded with grease and fat.

Reward yourself with something nice each time  you achieve even the smallest of goals. Going to a restaurant does not necessarily mean that you have to eat the deep fried and oil laden foods. Think of the soups and the salads and other spicy fish and meat dishes that are equally enjoyable.

Remember several  restaurants do serve salads, soups, whole wheat unleavened bread, fish and meats which have gone under the grill. Always remember going out to eat does not necessarily mean that you have to treat yourself to the deep fried foods.

Resolve to learn more about food and how your body uses it by reading on the subject.  Minimise 'fat traps,' choose low-fat foods such as vegetables, fruits, breads, grains, lean meat, fish and skinless poultry. When you need to  snack choose fresh fruits, low fat yoghurt or bran crackers.

Water is not only a life giver, but will also help to control your appetite. When you drink water in-between meals, there is a 'full' feeling. Besides how many of us take time off to drink water? Water is so essential to the body yet drinking water is not done in a manner that we ought to.

Do you know loneliness, anger, boredom will make you want to eat more? Take a deep breath, hold it for a second, and exhale slowly; repeat five six times. Think whether you really must eat all the food at that unusual hour. Soon you will realise that you can survive  without eating it. Give yourself time to adjust to a changed diet. Avoid eating late in the day or closer to bed time. Avoid alcohol while dieting.

Remember not to skip meals or limit yourself to fewer than 1,200 calories daily. If this  happens your metabolism system may slow down.

Exercise forms an integral part of weight loss. But this does not mean that you have to engage in violent exercises. Maintain a regular exercise programme that appeals to you. Continue to work out as you age. Always remember to stay active after you have reached your goal.

- Rajithangani Unantenna Fernando

A man in the mould of great kings

By Nirmala Kannangara

When moral courage feels that it is the right, there is no personal daring of which it is incapable

 - Leich Hunt 

His intention was not to create history but to continue in the service of the community fromwhich his father had been cut off by his untimely death.

Even without his knowledge, the name of this great philanthropist of our era entered the annals of Sri Lanka's health service on Monday, February 16 for being the only Sri Lankan to spend Rs.100 million out of his own wealth to build a three storied building complex at the Homagama Base Hospital.

This Government Hospital  which serves the residents of Homagama and the surrounding areas has a full fledged OPD and special clinics with diagnostic supportive services to meet the needs of the general public.  This entrepreneur is B.A. Mahipala, who has a B. Sc Eng (Hon) Degree and is the son of yet another philanthropist, the late B.A. Semaneris Appuhamy.

It was the late Semaneris Appuhamy who built the present Homagama Hospital with his own wealth on six acres of his own land, and gifted it to the then Government of Ceylon on February 16, 1946. Semaneris Appuhamy had handed over the Homagama Hospital to the then Governor of Ceylon, Sir Henry Monk Mason Moore witnessed by three future Prime Ministers of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sir John Kotelawala.

Full fledged building complex

His son Mahipala handed over the new full fledged building complex, an adjunct to the present hospital, to President Mahinda Rajapakse on February 16 this year, exactly 63 years after his father donated the present hospital.

Like father like son, Mahipala did not want to share his wealth among his own family but instead chose  to continue his father's charitable work. Hearing that the Homagama Base Hospital which was founded by his late father was lacking  space and facilities to treat the increasing number of patients in and around Homagama, Mahipala did not think twice but decided to construct a spacious OPD with full fledged special clinics with diagnostic supportive services as the  first phase of his Ran Mehewara Project.

The newly opened 28,000 sq.ft building has been designed to accommodate OPD services with spacious examination rooms  providing doctors more facilities to examine patients. The new facility has cubicles specially reserved for specimen collection, ECG, Endoscopy and minor surgeries.

The radiology and X-ray rooms have been built to specified concrete thickness to prevent radiation  penetration. The complex also includes stores, laboratory and dispensary facilities to provide a quick and efficient service to the public.

Solved the problem of  overcrowding

The spacious waiting areas have solved the problem of  overcrowding and congestion at the OPD, while three TVs have been installed to provide some entertainment to the  sick who come from far away seeking treatment. An attractive water feature close to the hallway and the reception area has been designed to give a soothing effect.

 The two electronic bed lifts that have been installed make it easy to move patients and the staff in between the three floors. The standard of the toilets are comparable to  the facilities available at any star class hotel, and the hospital looks more like a high-end private hospital.

"The Ran Mehewara Project which had as its objective the enhancement of the facilities at the hospital is in two phases and was initiated on the 61st death anniversary of my late father which fell on April 9, 2007. The first phase took shape under my  personal guidance supported by the other members of the Bamunuarachchi Foundation that consist of the late Semaneris Appuhamy's lineage.

First phase of the project

 "The three storied building complex which is the first phase of the project was completed within a  period of two years and was handed over to the Government of Sri Lanka. The foundation stone  for the second phase which is to consist of three wards was laid by President Mahinda Rajapakse," Mahipala told The Sunday Leader.

According to Mahipala it was his happiest day in life to be able to donate a part of the hospital from his own hard earned money.

"According to Lord Buddha health is wealth and if somebody does have good health it is the greatest wealth that he possesses.

"In a country like ours how many people could afford to go to a private hospital to get the best treatment. It would be just a handful of the population. It is the government hospitals that provide free health care services to the underprivileged. If my father had wished 63 years ago, he would have allowed his children to run the Homagama Hospital that was built out of his own wealth, and thrive as a private hospital," said Mahipala.

Born rich

"But feeling the pulse of the people he donated it to the government. I too could have invested the money I spent on this worthy cause to build a private hospital to acquire  more wealth. The more wealth one accumulates  the more pain of mind one would have. Today when I look back I can say I am really happy  that I have not invested the money spent on the hospital for my future physical pleasure but for my mental pleasure which cannot be bought with money," he said.

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, young Mahipala received his primary education at S. Thomas' College Guruthalawa and his secondary education at the college by the sea - S. Thomas' Mt. Lavinia where he excelled in his studies and entered the University of Moratuwa and passed out as a qualified engineer.

However destiny changed Mahipala's life and he switched on to a career in business and became the owner of a chain of garment factories in the country.  Mahipala's late father Semaneris Appuhamy's charity that was not only limited to Homagama but also to many other parts of the country inspired Mahipala to continue his charitable work purely for his personal happiness. Mahipala is also the present Consulate General of the Republic of Madagascar.

Speaking further Mahipala told The Sunday Leader that since he wanted to inspire the next generation to continue the charitable work started by his father  more than six decades ago, he  involved late Semaneris Appuhamy's great grand children who are still very young  in the laying of the foundation stone for the hospital building.

Just six months old

"I was just a six months old infant when my great father  breathed his last and it was my beloved mother with the assistance of my elder brothers and sisters that brought me up and gave me a good education.

"Although I was  not aware of my father's yeomen service to the people I was impressed to hear of the good work done by  him when I was still young. I presume my late father's spirit may have bequeathed his mission to me. Likewise I wanted my grand nephews and nieces and my own grand children to adopt the same attitude and to continue our community service.

"That was why I wanted them to cut the first sod and to lay the foundation stone for this building complex. I would always get these children's participation in all my charitable work to encourage them to help the needy in whatever way they could," Mahipala said.

Delivering an anusasana at the opening ceremony, the Chief Incumbent of the Kotte Nagaviharaya, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero said that the names of B.A. Semaneris Appuhamy and B.A. Mahipala would be immortal and etched in the minds of the people forever.

Great kings

"Our great kings of ancient times  have become immortal because of what they have done to the country, and likewise the memories of the late Semaneris Appuhamy and his son B.A. Mahipala too would be remembered forever," the Thero said.  

"Today B.A. Mahipala became the first and only Sri Lankan to spend Rs.100 million to construct a full  fledged three storied building out of his personal money. He could have utilised this money for his personal gain, but he followed his late father's footsteps and got this fully equipped building constructed for the well-being of the  people," Rajapakse said.

Mahipala in his speech noted that if the heroic soldiers could lay down their precious lives on behalf of the country it was nothing for him to donate a portion of his wealth towards charity.

Withdrew my savings

"In order to construct  this building, two years ago in 2007 I had to withdraw my savings which were held in stocks in the Stock Market. If I did not utilise that money for this worthy cause during that time I would have become a loser now as all my savings would have gone for a six due to the crash in the Stock Market. If so that would have given me more mental agony but since I used those savings for a worthy cause today I would say I am the happiest person on earth. I could fervently say that today is the happiest day in my life as I have got immense pleasure and not mental agony.

"I am neither the richest nor the poorest person in the country. For the first phase in the Ran Mehewara project I spent Rs.100 million. The estimated cost of the second phase would be a little lesser than this. There are many people in the country who travel in limousines that cost several millions of rupees. I humbly request them to join hands with me to give a ray of hope to the helpless patients in the country," he said.

Uplift the rural hospitals

"Let's draw up similar master plans to uplift the rural hospitals in the country and provide the best facilities there to give a good health service to the people as health is a thing that cannot be discriminated between the rich and poor. Capitalism promotes the creation of wealth followed by greed.

"But not all will be equally wealthy as even in the richest nations in the world there is poverty. Those who succeed must not be too greedy and should contribute a generous share of their wealth towards the well being of their less privileged fellow human beings. That's what I did today. I learned this invaluable lesson from my Great Teacher, the Gauthama Buddha," Mahipala said.

Mahipala told The Sunday Leader that after his appeal many business magnates have already come forward to assist him in his worthy cause towards the well-being of the less privileged.

Dixon Punchihewa elected president,  Kalutara District Bar Council

Dixon Arnold Punchihewa has been elected president of the Kalutara District Bar Council. He was elected by a huge majority and took over the presidency for 2009/10 soon after the results were announced on February 12, 2009. 

Dixon Arnold Punchihewa is  a senior member of the Bar Council and a  leading lawyer in Kalutara and has held many key positions in the Kalutara Bar previously.

Humour

Understanding hatred

Two marines boarded a quick shuttle flight out of Dallas, heading for Houston. One sat in the window seat, the other sat in the middle seat. Just before take-off, an army soldier got on and took the aisle seat next to the two marines. The soldier kicked off his shoes, wiggled his toes and was settling in when the marine in the window seat said, "I think I'll get up and get a coke." "No problem," said the soldier, "I'll get it for you." While he was gone, the marine picked up the soldier's shoe and spat into it. When the soldier returned with the coke, the marine in the middle seat said, "That looks good, I think I'll have one too." Again, the soldier obligingly went to fetch it and while he was gone, the marine picked up the soldier's other shoe and spat in it. The soldier returned and they all sat back and enjoyed the rest of the short flight to Houston. As the plane was landing, the soldier slipped his feet into his shoes and knew immediately what had happened. "How long must this go on?" the soldier asked. "This fighting between our services? This hatred? This animosity? This spitting in shoes and urinating in cokes?"

No more lines

A drill sergeant had just chewed out one of his cadets, and as he was walking away, he turned to the cadet and said, "I guess when I die you'll come and dance on my grave." The cadet replied, "Not me, Sarge...no sir! I promised myself that when I got out of the army I'd never stand in another line!"

Bird buffet

A hillbilly was in court, charged with killing and eating a white spotted owl, which is on the endangered species list. "Your honour, I didn't know. I have five kids and we were hungry." A compassionate man, the judge let him go, if he promised never to do it again. On the way out of the courtroom, the judge asked, out of curiosity, what a white spotted owl tasted like. "Well, judge, its kind of like a cross between a bald eagle and a condor!"

Wise old gentleman

A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment. Then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered.

The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action. The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, "You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that.

"In fact, I used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favour? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing." The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trashcans.

After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face. "This recession's really putting a big dent in my income," he told them. "From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans."

The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they accepted his offer and they continued their afternoon ruckus. A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street.

"Look," he said, "I haven't received my Social Security cheque yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?"

"A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed. "If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!" And the old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of his days.The Vegetable

A middle-aged couple was having dinner in the local restaurant. The waiter walks up to their table and says, "Tonight's specials are chicken almondine and fresh fish." "The chicken sounds good. I think I will have that," the wife says. The waiter nods. "And the vegetable?" "Oh, he'll have the fish," the wife answers.

Dugongs on a downward trend

By Risidra Mendis

Until the middle of the last century, dugongs were hunted at the rate of 150 per year, considering only the Gulf of Mannar. Today the few remaining dugongs survive in this same gulf. Dugongs are now severely endangered. They are protected in Arab and African countries, Australia and in Sri Lanka.

Their numbers have declined so badly the World Conservation Union (IUCN) has listed dugongs as vulnerable to extinction on a global scale, because the numbers of dugongs worldwide appear to have declined by at least 20% over the last 90 years (about three dugong generations).

Dugongs almost extinct

Speaking to The Sunday Leader Prasanna Weerakkody of the Nature Conservation Group said, “In Sri Lanka from the north and the north western coastline from Kalpitiya to Jaffna there was a time when you could spot more than 200 dugongs in a pod. However due to these mammals being caught in fishing nets and hunted for their meat that is considered to be a delicacy the dugongs in the country are almost extinct.

“Once in two months mainly in Mannar a dugong gets caught in the fishing nets. If caught in fishing nets these mammals are never released but always killed and their meat used for human consumption. Most often the dugong is dead when it reaches the shore and rarely finds its way to the fish market because fishermen take them home for consumption. It is probably the most threatened large mammal in Sri Lanka,” Weerakkody said. 

The dugong is also referred to as a sea cow, as it is a grazer. But unlike cows, the dugong can cultivate its crops. The dugong’s body has flippers and flukes are like those of a dolphin, but it has no dorsal fin. Being a bottom feeder, its mouth is sub-ventral in position, and the snout is covered with bristles and small stiff hairs, which are supposed to be the best developed sensory hairs of any mammal. The flippers, which lack nails, are used for stabilising the animal while swimming.

As in elephants, the molar teeth are replaced by continuous growth from behind as the front ones are worn away. The dugong’s common ancestry with the elephant is evident from its teeth, prehensile upper lip, long digestive tract, herbivorous diet and location of the mammary glands. The incisors in males are larger than those in females and are referred to as tusks.

Adults reach between 2.5 to 3 meters in length and weigh on average between 250 to 420 kg. The dugong is able to use sound to communicate underwater with other members of its species.

“The dugong is an air breathing animal and eats sea grass. Once full grown this mammal could reach up to 13 to 14 feet. Dugongs can be seen on both sides of the Palk Straits in the Indian Ocean and some parts of the Pacific. However the only viable population is in the Western Coast of Australia,” Weerakkody explained.

Live in small groups

Dugongs live in small groups of three to five animals, and larger groups have become rare in the island. The largest group recorded in Australia had over 450 animals. Since dugongs are heavier than water they require no effort to remain submerged and usually travel at a speed of 10 km per hour. But when threatened, they can easily double their speed.

Some dugongs are known to undertake puzzlingly long distance journeys from 100 to 600 km over a few days. Dugongs may undertake such long swims to ‘check’ out the status of the sea grass meadows in the region. While moving about, they are known to emit squeaky calls, in the range of 1-8 kHz, which are ultrasonic in nature and possibly used more for communication than for navigation. They also make whistling sounds when frightened.

Reports indicate that Arab fishermen in the Persian Gulf take dugongs in their boats for their ability to perceive approaching storms. Dugongs don’t like rough weather, and often seek the shelter of shallow bays during storms. They also move closer inshore in the Mannar area in order to shelter from the rough seas and heavy swells during the southwest monsoon. When calm weather returns, they move into the open sea but rarely if ever remain in waters deeper than 8 fathoms (14.5-m).

Given their limited thermoregulatory ability, they usually avoid waters lower than about 18⁰C or 19⁰C. If they do venture into cold waters to forage, they must get back to warmer waters to digest the food. They can feed on floating vegetation. During feeding the dugong uses its snout and lips to dig into the mud and uproot vegetation hence the name “sea-pig”. Adults are voracious feeders, consuming between 25 to 30 kg of wet food per day. Dugongs ferment their food in their extremely long large intestine, which is more than twice as long as the small intestine.

Since sea-grasses are extremely poor in nitrogen, dugongs are known to search for the most nitrogen-rich species. If not available they can supplement their vegetarian diet with occasional ascidians or sea squirts or even crabs all of which are rich in nitrogen. The mammal’s method of feeding produces a characteristic network of serpentine feeding trails, which also promotes new growth of grass, that tends to be higher in nitrogen and lower in fibre and easily digestible.

“In Sri Lanka, stomach contents of dugongs include remnants of sea-grasses which do not grow below 6 fathoms. In captivity, dugongs have been observed shaking unwashed seaweeds to and fro to rid it of sand before eating. Dugongs are known to surface simultaneously while feeding, and are able to remain below water at a time up to 10 minutes,” an environmentalist said.

Low reproductive rates

The dugong has a long pre-reproductive period and a low reproductive rate. They reach sexual maturity between eight to 18 years. “In the Gulf of Mannar, dugongs reproduce seasonally and are known to mate during the northeast monsoon, from January to March. By nature gentle and inoffensive, they can be boisterous when it comes to mating. Dugongs are the only mammals other than the cetaceans and hippopotamuses to give birth underwater,” an environmentalist said.

A single calf is born after a gestation period of 13 to 14 months. The long gestation is followed by a period of lactation of two years. At birth, the calf measures about a metre in length and weighs about 18 kg. Calves usually begin grazing within the first three months after birth, and may stay on with their mothers for more than a year. Dugongs may live up to 70 years.

Aphrodisiac properties

According to researchers in Sri Lanka, the dugong was once so plentiful that it was able to sustain a  commercial dugong fishery industry. Its meat is popular among the island’s Muslim community. “Dugongs yield between 25 to 50 litres of oil, and they are also prized for their alleged aphrodisiac properties. During the 1950s, between 100 to 150 animals were captured annually in the Mannar District for their meat, oil and hide. So heavy was the cull that within a few decades, dugongs disappeared from much of their former range. Given their low reproductive rate, they are vulnerable to over-exploitation.

“Today it is doubtful if a viable population survives in the north western waters of Sri Lanka. If strong conservation measures are not implemented, the species might become extinct in the island. The indiscriminate exploitation in the past and the expansion of fisheries are largely responsible for endangering the species in Sri Lanka,” the environmentalist said.

For many years, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka has called for the declaration of both the Dutch and Portugal Bays as marine sanctuaries for the dugong. “These areas provide ideal conditions for the management of dugongs, as long as fishing is controlled, and the dynamiting of fish is prohibited. The Puttalam lagoon is a suitable extension for such a marine sanctuary for the dugong. But until February 27, 1970, the dugong was officially regarded in Sri Lanka as a “fish” and was not protected. Today however, it is a protected species. But legislation alone cannot protect the dugong in the absence of an effective law enforcement system,” the environmentalist said.

“It is the responsibility of the Department of Wild Life Conservation (DWLC), Kalpitiya Marine Park officials, the Fisheries Ministry and the navy to protect the dugongs. The authorities have so far done nothing to protect the dugong population mostly since these areas were under LTTE control. The Sethusamudram project if it goes through will also threaten the dugong population as it extends from the Sri Lankan coast to the Indian coast. The dugong population would be cut in two due to the deep channel. If the remaining dugong population is not allowed to breed their population could decrease. Since these areas are being cleared by the military it is high time the DWLC took measures to protect the remaining dugong population in the country,” Weerakkody said.