Episode 40 – Rekawa Sanctuary
A tiring but beautiful day
On August 11, 2020, I was appointed as an Assistant Director of the Sri Lanka Scientific Service. I first got to work in the tourism sector. But by then I had just eight months to deliver my baby. Therefore, I had to take maternity leave. With that came the corona pandemic and became of that. After ending the leave, I got back to work on October 10, 2020.
Then I was appointed to the Marine Division. I graduated in Biology, but I didn’t have much knowledge of the marine sector.Therefore I worked while studying.
One day the Director General called me and said that a management plan for theRekawa Sanctuary needs to be prepared within three days.
I immediately called the field officers and got an appointment. We met in the office in two days. The administration of the Sanctuary is carried out by the Kalametiya Office.
We had a discussion at the Kalamatia office and at about 6 p.m. we went to the Sanctuary. I was accompanied by Beat Officer Ravindra Kumara, Beat Officer of the Marine Unit Priyantha, Development Officer Wasana of the Marine Unit and Beat AssistantDodamgoda.
We went to Turtle Hatchery in Kapuhenwala. There are two hatcheries there. The main work there is to bring turtle eggs that are less likely to succeed on the natural ground and artificially dig holes in protected areas and deposit them.
This coastal area is always under water. Turtles lay a lot of eggs, but if there is water for 5 minutes on top of a hole where the eggs are laid, the eggs spoil. And there are people who are used to stealing eggs. They dig those holes and take eggs and sell one egg for Rs. 100. And domestic dogs dig holes and eat eggs. Therefore, the Department of Wildlife digs pits and deposits eggs in the pits and looks after them.
This sanctuary is 4.5 kilometers in length. The sanctuary begins at a distance of 100 meters from low tide sea level towards the land. Also 500m forwards the sea.
At the hatchery, we saw the hatchlings coming out of the pit. There were 7-8 hatchlings. They hurried towards the sea and joined the water. Their size is as big as palm. It was about 7:30 p.m.
We walked from Kapuhen to Dasthuna Junction along the beach. The moonlight had fallen well. We walked past twelve o’clock. On this walk, I saw about ten turtles that came to lay eggs. We could see these ten, but we wondered how much more there would be.
I had never seen a turtle lay eggs in my life. You should not get close when turtles aredigging pits. We looked closely at when the turtles laying their eggs. One animal laid more than 100 eggs.
There is a resting place for wildlife officials at Dasthuna Junction. From Kapuhen, we walked to Dasthuna Junction and rested there.
That night, we stayed in the Kalametiyaoffice and figured out the plan without sleep. Mr. Ravindra made tea for all. The only thing we were assigned in this plan is to put the data in the format created by the Director General. We were able to put the data correctly.
The next morning, we handed over the draft of the management plan to the Director General.
Right now, the management plan is improved and in the process of requesting an ISBN number.
Mrs. Rekha Sanjeevani Rasingha
Mrs. RekhaSanjeevaniRajasinghe joined the Department of Wildlife Conservation on August 11, 2020, as an Assistant Director of the Sri Lanka Scientific Service. Initially, she was assigned to the Tourism Services Management Division. But when she joined the scientific service, she was 8 months pregnant and had to take maternity leave. Then she was able to report to duty again in 2021 due to the situation of the COVID Pandemic in the country. Later she was assigned to the Marine Division.
She is a Graduate in Science (Special) from Sri Lanka Rajarata University. She was able to pursue a special degree in Biodiversity Conservation from Faculty of Applied Sciences of the Rajarata University. Mrs. RekhaSanjeevaniRajasinghe, who obtained second class honors in her degree, worked for a while as a Demonstrator in Rajarata University and later worked as a microbiologist at Edna Chocolate Company. She then worked as a Development Officer for 7 years in the Ministries of Health and Plantation Industries.
Ms. Rekha Sanjeevani received her primary education from AnamaduwaCentral College in Puttalam district. So far, she has received short-term training for her career life in Maldives, India and China. In addition to the Marine Division of the Department of Wildlife, she is also serving as the Director in charge of the Tourism Service Management Division. Mrs. Sanjeevani reflects with self-satisfaction that her journey has been difficult but fruitful.
Although she lived in Anamaduwa with her mother, father, sister and younger brother, after marriage she resides in Homagama with her husband ErandaTikiriHennage, a civil engineering graduate, works online under an American company and Reka’ssonSasmithaNirwan, who is still four years old, is studying in Montessori.
Rekawa Sanctuary
Among the island’s golden beaches, we may highlight Rakava Beach as something unique. Thus, in addition to its natural beauty, what makes it special is the unique set of visitors who frequent the beach at night. These visitors have turned Rakava Beach into a popular tourist destination.
The special visitors who come to the beach are turtles, which are currently under threat of extinction. As the coast of Sri Lanka is an attractive place for several species of turtles, they have chosen this beach to burrow and lay their eggs. Rekava Beach, which is famous as a home of turtles, is located at a distance of seven kilometers from Tangalle. The section from Tangalle to Rakava belongs to the Turtle Sanctuary. The sanctuary is about three kilometers long and extends from the low tide line up to a hundred meters to the land and up to five hundred meters to the sea.
From Rakava to Kahandamodara is a beach with Turtle Nests and this area is abundant with food for sea turtles. Turtle Nest is the name given to the area prepared by the female turtle to lay her eggs. The female turtle goes to a dry place on the beach and removes loose sand with her fins. Then, by digging with the fin and twisting the body, it makes a groove that fits its body. After the pits are complete, a cup-shaped back fin is used as a shovel to create a cavity to lay the eggs.
Thus, with the aim of protecting the rare turtles that come to the coast, the beach has been identified as a sea turtle conservation site. As 5 out of 7 endangered species of turtles are attracted to Sri Lanka’s coastline, protecting turtle nesting sites and supporting its conservation has become imperative. Meanwhile, the main species of turtles that come to the island to lay their eggs are Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate), Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelysolivacea) and Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). The loggerhead turtle is the largest of the sea turtles. It must be said that this area is attractive to foreign tourists because of these species of turtles.
From thousands of years it was customary for turtles to come to the beach where they were born to lay their eggs. As the Wildlife Department realized the value of this marine area,an area of 271.20 hectares was declared as a sanctuary under Gazette No. 1446/27 dated 25.05.2006.
This is known as Sri Lanka’s first turtle sanctuary and is currently managed under the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Two turtle incubation units have been set up in the sanctuary. There are about 12 turtle incubation units maintained along the coasts of Sri Lanka based on the provisions of the Wildlife Conservation Department as well as private institutions, and Rakeva beach is one of them. These incubation units are established with the aim of protecting the turtles’ nesting sites and ensuring that the eggs can hatch safely. These eggs are kept within the safe confines of the sanctuary until they are ready to hatch. This beach has also been identified as an area where there is a suitable environment for the tourism industry related to the conservation of turtles. Accordingly, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has planned to provide opportunities in the future for tourists to observe live turtle hatching events, release preserved turtle hatchlings into the sea, provide the opportunity to walk along the beach at night and create campsites.
April to July is the best time to visit the Turtle Conservation Center as the turtles lay their eggs during this period. During this period, in one night about 15 turtles come to the beach to lay their eggs. During the months of October to January, only about two turtles can be seen at night, but that too is rare. Various factors, such as excessive noise or light pollution at the beach, determine the number of turtles that come to the beach. Turtles can be observed subject to the normal rules and regulations laid down by the Wildlife Department and there is no entry fee.
Rekava Marine Sanctuary is globally recognized as one of the few places where sea turtles can be observed in their natural habitat.
රැකව අභය භූමියපිළිබඳව විස්තරයේ ඇති සතුන්ගේ නම් ලැයිස්තුව
சோமாவதிய தேசிய பூங்காதொடர்பான விளக்கத்தில் காணப்படும் விலங்குகளின் பெயர்ப் பட்டியல்
List of animals in the Rekawa Sanctuary
Sinhala Names | Tamil Names | English Names | Botanical Name |
ඔලුගෙඩි කැස්බෑවා | பெருந்தலைக் கடலாமை | Loggerhead Turtle | Carettacaretta |
ගල් කැස්බෑවා | தோணியாமை | Green Turtle | Cheloniamydas |
පොතු කැස්බෑවා | அழுங்காமை | Hawksbill Turtle | Eretmochelys imbricate |
බටු කැස්බෑවා | ஒலிவ நிறச் சிற்றாமை | Olive Ridley Turtle | Lepidochelysolivacea |
දාර කැස්බෑවා | பேராமை | Leatherback Turtle | Dermochelyscoriacea |
Editor– DammikaMalsinghe, Additional Secretary,Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, Section, Ministry of Agriculture and Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation (MWFRC)
Article on park written by– HasiniSarathchandra, Chief Media Officer, Department of Wildlife Coservation (DWLC)
MaheshaChathuraniPerera (Graduate Trainee), (DWLC)
Tamil Translations– A.R.F. Rifna, Development Officer, MWFRC
English Translations – Asoka Palihawadana, Translator, MWFRC
Web Designing– C.A.D.D.A. Collure, Management Service Officer, MWFRC
Photography– PubuduPrasanna, DWLC.