Life style

Paws and hands in harmony

Published

4 years ago

2021/07/4

With incidents of animals being tested positive for COVID-19 both locally and in various parts of the world, there is a discourse and public anxiety about potential animal to human and human to animal transmission of the virus. We spoke to several authorities committed to animal welfare and virology to find answers and to dispel unnecessary fears.

by Randima Attygalle

The 14-year-old African Lion, ‘Thor’ of the Dehiwala Zoo, gifted by a zoo in Seoul, was reported to be having severe respiratory signs including breathing difficulties and a nasal discharge. Its loss of appetite and lethargy further worried keepers. On an official request made by the Director (Animal Health and Nutrition), Department of National Zoological Gardens, Department of Medical Microbiology of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya tested the nasal swab specimens of the sick lion for COVID-19. Fecal samples of the infected animal were sent to the Molecular and Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory (MNBL) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya. Both laboratories confirmed the lion to be COVID-19 positive. This is the first known case of an animal contracting COVID-19 here at home.

The lion was confirmed COVID-19 positive according to the criteria of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), Prof. N.P Sunil-Chandra, Virologist and Chair of Medical Microbiology from the Faulty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya told the Sunday Island. “The nature of a specimen, whether it is human, animal or of environmental origin, is not going to alter the result. Hence COVID-19 PCR procedure adopted for the respiratory samples of the infected lion was the same as that which is used for human samples,” he said.

While veterinarians and other staff of the Dehiwala Zoo have been tested, further investigations, assisted by zoo authorities, are being carried out to identify the exact source of infection in the lion. Asymptomatic human infection is a very likely source for the infection in the lion, he said.

“Asymptomatic human infection was incriminated as the source infection in the case of a COVID infected four-year-old Malaysian tiger in the Bronx Zoo, USA which was reported in March last year. Infected pet cats have also been reported in Belgium, Hong Kong, USA and Brazil but there is not enough evidence to change the current opinion of the OIE that neither cats nor dogs appear to be able to pass the virus to people,” the senior professor said.

SARS CoV-2 infections in minks in the Netherlands and in Denmark have been reported in close proximity to a region with high incidence of COVID-19 in humans. A mutation of the SARS CoV-2 virus in a mink in Denmark and one of the variant was found in several people, he explained.

In 1918 the world experienced its worst flu outbreak (commonly called the Spanish flu) due to an influenza virus type A strain H1N1 which emerged in birds infected a third of the world’s human population killing over 50 million people. Three more influenza pandemics followed: in 1957 ‘Asian’ flu (A-H2N2), in 1968 ‘Hong Kong’ flu (A-H3N2) and the 2009 ‘swine’ flu (A-H1N1). “Although milder than the 1918 pandemic, these highlight the constant threat of es to human health.

Emergence of SARS CoV-2 virus in 2019 which led to the current COVID-19 global pandemic further highlights the threat of emerging zoonotic virus infections,” observed Prof Sunil-Chandra. He elaborated on the importance of working on ‘One Health’ concept (the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally and globally, to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment) when confronted with emerging zoonotic infections such as COVID-19.

“Climate changes and deforestation affect animal reservoirs of viruses and due these adverse effects animal migration leads to increased interactions in the animal-human interface. This could spread viruses to new locations and across a wider range of domestic and wildlife species including birds and bats.”

‘Spillover events’ from wildlife via vectors or domestic animals are the starting points for many outbreaks, from influenza to HIV and from SARS to COVID-19, pointed out the Virologist. “Therefore, it is natural to have misconceptions among people with pandemic stress about how new diseases jump from animals to human. Although it is theoretically possible that the virus can be transmitted from an infected animal to human, todate there is no evidence for SARS CoV-2 transmission from animals to humans. Mink is the only animal known to have passed the coronavirus to humans, except for the initial spillover event from an unknown species in China.”

According to the OIE, there is no evidence that cats or dogs spread the disease to humans bit it recommends that sick persons with COVID-19 should avoid contact with pets, including petting, cuddling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food, in order to protect their pets during the time of their illness.

Gorillas and chimpanzees are identified as animals that are at very high COVID-19 risk, pointed out Prof. Ashoka Dangolla, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Clinical Studies from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, (FVMAS) University of Peradeniya. Felines such as domestic cats, tigers and lions are at a medium risk he said. “Veterinarians are very familiar with other animal Coronavirus infections in cats. This has been so for several decades. Feline infectious peritonitis is one such condition with respiratory signs in cats. But we must keep in mind that COVID-19 is a novel Coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) which has the ability to mutate into new variants. Therefore, all possible precautions must be taken while extending love and compassion to our pets.”

Since it is known that cat family members can contract the disease from symptomatic and asymptomatic parties, it is advisable to keep away from them if you are COVID-19 positive or suspected of it, Prof. Dangolla advises. “Cats cannot, according to available information, infect humans. But if you do find your cat having respiratory symptoms, it’s always advisable to take the cat to a vet in the area.”

Care should also be taken not to feed monkeys and to dispose of our waste in an irresponsible manner, the senior veterinarian warns. Dogs are of low risk for developing COVID-19. “So far, COVID- 19 positive dogs have not been reported in Sri Lanka though we test all dogs that are being brought into the country for COVID-19. If a household dog shows respiratory signs such as difficulty in breathing, best advice is to show it to a vet.”

Susceptibility of dogs, pigs and elephants to COVID-19 is low whilst ferrets, mink, mice and rats have very low susceptibility, says the veterinarian. Birds have never been reported to be COVID positive. COVID positive Asian elephants have been documented in India, therefore it is advisable not to go near captive elephants if a person is COVID positive or asymptomatic he notes. “If an infected (symptomatic or asymptomatic) person gets close to a healthy elephant, closer than two meters, the elephant may get infected, but there is no report to say that elephants infect people. Sheep, cattle and even dolphins can get infected but they are at medium risk.”

Since our local vets have been working with Coronavirus and the Sri Lanka Veterinary Research Institute has been producing several vaccines against viruses in animals, we can have some hope that the vets would produce a vaccine against COVID in animals if a need arises, says Prof Dangolla.

The Molecular and Nutritional Biochemistry laboratory of FVMAS, University of Peradeniya conducts tests to detect COVID-19 and the presence of SARS-like viruses in animals. Since September, 2020, the lab had been offering services to the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) to screen hundreds of animals for COVID-19 infection that came into the country. These came as pets through the Animal Quarantine Department at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) which operates under DAPH said Dr. Dilan Satharasinghe, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, FVMAS, University of Peradeniya.

“We have also screened mangroves and toque monkeys as a part of a surveillance programme implemented via DAPH in collaboration with the Wildlife Department and it is an ongoing process,” he said. DAPH and Animal Quarantine Division at the BIA screen all animals coming into the country for COVID-19 infection. Samples are referred to the Molecular and Nutritional Biochemistry laboratory and upon the confirmation of negative results, animals are released to the owners.

The Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) implements disease control programmes mainly through Directorates of Animal Health and Veterinary Research. The DAPH has strong structure throughout the country with 26 Regional Veterinary Investigating Centres (RVICs), one located in each district. The disease control programmes are implemented by its islandwide network of 337 Government Veterinary Offices (GVOs) which come under nine Provincial Departments of Animal Production and Health (PDAPH). The central Veterinary Investigating Centres and the technical divisions of Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) provide referral diagnostic facilities for Regional VICs and GVOs in managing diseases.

Curative and Preventive measures are carried out by the DAPH and PDAPH. Disease investigations, epidemiological studies, surveillance programmes and vaccination programmes are being carried out in managing viral diseases.

Animal Disease Act No.59 of 1992 stipulates that no person can import any animal or animal related product without the permission of the Director General of Animal Production and Health. “This provision is to prevent the entry of any exotic disease to the country. Accordingly, animals, animal products, veterinary products and biological imports are controlled by the DAPH by issuing pre- clearance approval for such imports,” said the Director General of Animal Production and Health, Dr. Hemali Kothalawala.

Quarantine stations are established in ports of entry such as Katunayake, Colombo, Mattala and Jaffna to control imports through air and sea passage. Animal entry is permitted based on negative test certificates of certain given diseases and in high-risk situations animals are being quarantined for a number of days at the quarantine stations or on-farm, explained Dr. Kothalawala. “Apart from these routine protocols, today a COVID-negative certificate is mandatory when importing any animal to the country.”

The Animal Disease Act also requires the Director General of Animal Production and Health to take action to control animal disease spread in the country. Today DAPH has established a diagnostic facility with animal specific RT-PCR antigen kits and an Epidemiological Survey is planned to uncover the factors associated with the COVID-19.

The Veterinary Research Institute (VRI), of DAPH has a long history of vaccine production in Sri Lanka. VRI produces several viral vaccines and bacterial vaccines for the livestock sector in the country. Among the viral vaccines, the most important as Dr. Kothalawala explained, is the one for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) which causes severe milk production drop in cows when infected. The vaccine which was first produced locally in 1964 is now developed using the latest technology to enhance the immune duration and its shelf life. “Presently, 50% of the country’s requirement is produced within the country. Recently approved project on FMD control is planning to expand the capacity by two-fold by end of the next year,” Dr. Kothalawala said.

A viral vaccine for goat Contagious Pustular Dermatitis (CPD) which causes severe production loss and kid mortality is also being produced at the VRI. It also produces a live viral vaccine for New Castle Disease which causes a very high death rate among chicken. While a newly invented vaccine with oil adjutant to give lifelong immunity in birds is ready to release for the industry another vaccine is being produced by VRI as well as Veterinary Investigation Centres for warts in cattle, she noted. Several bacterial vaccines are also being produced at the VRI for deadly diseases in cattle and poultry. A vaccine for tick fever which causes severe economic losses in milk production especially in high producing animals such as cattle and buffalo is also being produced at the VRI.

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Life style

Sri Lanka’s first elephant orphanage celebrates 50 years

Published

21 hours ago

2025/02/23

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka is also facing a major human-elephant conflict in areas bordering traditional wild sanctuaries

By Amal Jayasinghe
Pics by Ishara Kodikara

Sri Lanka’s main elephant orphanage marked its 50th anniversary on Sunday february 16 with a fruit feast for the 68 jumbos at the showpiece centre, reputedly the world’s first care home for destitute pachyderms. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage lavished pineapples, bananas, melons and cucumbers on its residents to celebrate the anniversary of their home, which is a major tourist attraction.

A few officials and tourists invited to the low-key celebration were served milk rice and traditional sweets while four generations of elephants born in captivity frolicked in the nearby Maha Oya river.

“The first birth at this orphanage was in 1984, and since then, there have been a total of 76,” said chief curator Sanjaya Ratnayake, as the elephants returned from their daily river bath.

“This has been a successful breeding programme, and today we have four generations of elephants here, with the youngest 18 months old and the oldest 70 years,” he told AFP.

The orphanage recorded its first twin birth in August 2021 — a rarity among Asian elephants — and both calves are doing well.

Two years before the orphanage was formally established as a government institution in February 1975, five orphaned elephants were cared for at a smaller facility in the southern resort town of Bentota.

“Since the orphanage was set up at Pinnawala in 1975, in a coconut grove, the animals have had more space to roam, with good weather and plenty of food available in the surrounding area,” Ratnayake said.

The home requires 14,500 kilos of coconut and palm tree leaves, along with other foliage, to satisfy the elephants’ voracious appetites.

It also buys tonnes of fruit and milk for the younger calves, who are adored by the foreign and local visitors to the orphanage, located about 90 kilometres (56 miles) east of the capital Colombo.

It is also a major revenue generator for the state, earning millions of dollars a year in entrance fees. Visitors can watch the elephants from a distance or get up close and help scrub them during bath times.

Sri Lanka’s Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a major tourist attraction

– Tragic toll –

The facility lacked running water and electricity at its inception but things improved as it gained international fame in subsequent years, said retired senior mahout K.G. Sumanabanda, 65.

“I was also fortunate to be present when we had the first birth in captivity,” Sumanabanda told AFP, visiting the home for the jubilee celebrations.

During his career spanning over three decades as a traditional elephant keeper, he trained more than 60 other mahouts and is still consulted by temples and individuals who own domesticated elephants.

Twenty years ago, Sri Lankan authorities opened another elephant home south of the island to care for orphaned, abandoned or injured elephants and later return them back to the wild.

While Pinnawala is seen by many as a success, Sri Lanka is also facing a major human-elephant conflict in areas bordering traditional wildlife sanctuaries.

Elephants return to Sri Lanka’s Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage after taking their daily bath in a river

Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody told AFP on Sunday that 450 elephants and 150 people were killed in clashes in 2023, continuing an alarming trend of fatalities in the human-elephant conflict. The previous year saw 433 elephants and 145 people were killed.

Killing or harming elephants is a criminal offence in Sri Lanka, which has an estimated 7,000 wild elephants and where jumbos are considered a national treasure, partly due to their significance in Buddhist culture.

But the massacre continues as desperate farmers face the brunt of elephants raiding their crops and destroying livelihoods.

The minister was confident the new government could tackle the problem by preventing elephants from crossing into villages.

“We are planning to introduce multiple barriers—these may include electric fences, trenches, or other deterrents—to make it more difficult for wild elephants to stray into villages,” Jayakody told AFP.

Life style

Growing the Cultural Landscape with Suhanya Raffel

Published

21 hours ago

2025/02/23

Thilina Walpola

Suhanya Raffel

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust which was launched its 2025 is followed by Curatorial Conversations Series. Recently a presentation was made S by M+ Museum director and Geoffrey Bawa Trustee Suhanya Raffel. Speaking at the new Bawa Space on Horton Place, Raffel drew on extensive experience in the museum and art world to present insights and programming from the M+ Museum in Hong Kong. M+ is Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture and presents itself as an intersection of visual art, design and architecture, and the moving image.

The evening presented an opportunity to hear from a leading expert in the museum field and discuss Sri Lanka’s present and future cultural landscape. It also highlighted the role of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust in conserving the legacy of the architect and his collaborators, and promoting contemporary art and design. “There are amazing artists, great designers, and reactive minds in Sri Lanka and the region,” Raffel said at a press event earlier in the afternoon. “There is opportunity in the aspiration to establish things, artists doing very important work, and the energy of individuals to try to make a difference.”

In part, this opportunity stems from the lack of established large-scale infrastructure to conserve Sri Lanka’s modern cultural legacy and support emerging artists. While there is the scope to shape the domestic art world and build institutions reflective of the local cultural community, there are also limitations and challenges in realising this potential.

Raffel spoke extensively about the need to build curatorial skills and knowledge and nurture cultural leaders in the region. Recognising this need, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust maintains public programmes, including exhibitions, residencies, tours, and lectures, to broaden public discourse and knowledge on the built environment and the arts in Sri Lanka and overseas. To fulfil curatorial needs and encourage growth in artistic and cultural institutions such as museums, the Trust employs a dedicated curatorial team and runs a robust internship and training programme. It is hoped that building this skill base will encourage others to explore similar career opportunities and support art, design, and architecture in the region. Sri Lankan visual arts over the past century have enjoyed wide international acclaim. “Sri Lanka is known globally for its creative work,” says Raffel, “it is culturally very strong.”

Geoffrey Bawa is a great example of this global influence. During his lifetime, the architect was very well-known in Sri Lanka and among contemporaries around the world. His structural, landscape, and furniture designs continue to guide and inspire. “It is very important for makers to be seen with their international peers,” Raffel explains. This cultural engagement on regional and international platforms is paramount for ensuring open dialogue and exchange. This means supporting collaborations, encouraging foreign markers to come to Sri Lanka, and exhibiting Sri Lankan work internationally.

The Trust is working to support this global dialogue by hosting installations by artists and makers from Sri Lanka and abroad, as was done in celebration of Geoffrey Bawa’s 100th birthday and again throughout the To Lunuganga programme from 2023-2024. The Trust took Geoffrey Bawa’s work to the world in 2024 with the travelling It is Essential to be There exhibition in Sri Lanka, India, and the United States.

The Trust is proud to be part of major professional international forums such as the International Confederation of Architectural Museums and the Committee for Modern and Contemporary Art Museums, both affiliated with the International Council of Museums. These platforms are vital for global knowledge sharing and advocacy. “We want more of these types of collaborations to happen both with the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, but also other arts and cultural institutions in Sri Lanka,” says Raffel.

In furthering this mission, the Trust is excited to present the new Bawa Space as the organisation’s public face and offer opportunities for the public to engage with the Trust’s work. Located in a recently restored Bawa-designed house from 1959, the Bawa Space doubles as the Geoffrey Bawa Trust headquarters and archives, as well as a new gallery and space for talks and events that will continue year-round.

Life style

Colombo Fashion Week 19-22 February: Two decades of creating the Fashion Eco-system in Sri Lanka

Published

21 hours ago

2025/02/23

Thilina Walpola

Bernhard Stefan, MD, Nestlé Lanka

This year CFW will showcase a selection of Emerging Designers alongside established Sri Lankan designers. Adding international flavour will be well known designers from India Suket Dhir, Urvashi Kaur and Zaheer Abbas from Pakistan.

Colombo Fashion Week (CFW), presented by Mastercard, enters its 22nd year in 2025 with its Summer edition, marking another milestone in its journey as one of the four fashion weeks in Asia that have surpassed 2o years.Emerging Designer initiative of CFW this time remains one of its main pillars, providing an entry point for the next generation to pursue design-based entrepreneurship. This in line with the introduction of the Craft Fashion Fund this year is a testament to this commitment. The Craft Fashion Fund will select two winners, one who incorporates batik and another who utilizes crafts other than batik. This initiative passed 20 years.

Over the years, CFW has proven to be the backbone of Sri Lanka’s fashion design industry—its only voice—while creating a fashion ecosystem that provides support to new emerging designers entering the industry. Informally known as South Asian Fashion Week, it serves as a regional hub due to its geopolitical advantage. It is also one of the most significant fashion weeks in South Asia, having played a crucial role in revitalizing the country’s fashion design industry.

This year, Colombo Fashion Week has also expanded its international footprint since joining as a founding member of the newly created BRICS International Fashion Federation. This aligns with CFW’s ongoing mission to bridge diverse fashion markets and foster creative dialogue across continents. As part of this federation, CFW has signed a designer exchange program with BRICS, where a designer from a BRICS country will showcase their work at CFW, and a Sri Lankan designer will present their collection there. CFW continues to play a pivotal role in presenting Sri Lanka through the lenses of arts, culture, and sustainability, further contributing to destination marketing on a global scale.

The Head Table From L to R: Harsha Maduranga, GM – Vision Care, Yatila Wijemanne, Chairman – Juniper, Dr. Vibash Wijeratne, Dirand CEO – Ninewells, Shamara Silva, Mrkt & Media Dir – Unilever, Ruwan Perera, CEO – NDB Wealth, Kamal Munasinghe, Area VP and GM – Cinnamon Grand, Ajai Vir Singh, Founder – CFW, Sandun Hapugoda, Country Mgr – Mastercard, Samrat Datta, GM – Taj Samudra, Bernhard Stefan, MD – Nestlé Lanka, Ramani Fernando, Founder – RF Salons, Arjuna Kumarasinghe, MD -Cargills Food & Beverages

Ajai Vir Singh, Founder, Colombo Fashion Week stated: “Colombo Fashion Week has consistently demonstrated its commitment to developing Sri Lanka’s fashion industry through strategic international partnerships and innovative platforms. Our growing international recognition and expanding designer network reflects vital role this platform plays in positioning Sri Lanka through its creative industries.”

Mastercard, as the presenting partner, continues to champion CFW’s vision of sustainable and inclusive fashion innovation, focusing on digitizing sustainability initiatives and supporting small and medium fashion enterprises.

Sandun Hapugoda, Country Manager, Sri Lanka & Maldives, highlights: “Mastercard is thrilled to partner with Colombo Fashion Week once again, celebrating the incredible talent and creativity within the fashion industry. This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to support local artistry. Together, we aim to inspire new possibilities, connect communities, support sustainable fashion initiatives, and elevate the local fashion industry to a global audience, delivering a truly priceless experience. We also anticipate CFW to be a great support to boost the Sri Lanka tourism industry as well.”

Fazeena Rajabdeen

The Craft Fashion Fund encourages young designers to engage with and incorporate Sri Lankan crafts into their collections. This approach has been highly successful for designers in other South Asian countries, where traditional crafts have helped establish a unique identity for them. Sri Lankan fashion has its best opportunity to develop a distinct identity when designers integrate local crafts into their work. The developing of this identity has been professed by CFW among the design fraternity, so they are able to create market demand beyond Sri Lanka.

The Emerging Designer initiative of CFW remains one of its main pillars, providing an entry point for the next generation to pursue design-based entrepreneurship. This in line with the introduction of the Craft Fashion Fund this year is a testament to this commitment. The Craft Fashion Fund will select two winners, one who incorporates batik and another who utilizes crafts other than batik. This initiative will support two exceptional designers, ensuring the preservation and evolution of Sri Lanka’s rich artistic heritage. This season, fifteen emerging designers will present their collections, further demonstrating CFW’s dedication to fostering the next generation of fashion talent.

Fazeena Majeed Rajabdeen, Director & CEO, Colombo Fashion Week further added: “Colombo Fashion Week, with its focus on nurturing new talent and emerging designers, has played a pivotal role in reviving and propelling Sri Lanka’s fashion industry. We are proud to present 15 emerging designers this year and to have Sharmila Ruberu mentoring these designers on collection planning. This, along with the Craft Fashion Fund, reiterates our commitment to further the thriving ecosystem we have built, embracing sustainability and empowering young talent.”

Colombo Fashion Week Summer 2025 is set to transform Colombo into an immersive fashion destination by showcasing designers across three of the city’s most prestigious locations. The key partners of Destination Colombo includes Shangri-La, Taj Samudra, and Cinnamon Grand. The shows will feature an impressive roster of international and local talent, including designers from India, Italy and Russia. Renowned creators such as Rimzim Dadu,

Cettina Bucca, Suneet Varma and JJ Valaya, will present alongside celebrated Sri Lankan designers including Fouzul Hameed, Sonali Dharmawardena, Asanka De Mel, Aslam Hussein, Kamil Hewawitharana, Dimuthu Sahabandu, Indi Yapa Abeywardena and Charini Suriyage.

Colombo Fashion Week 2025 is proudly supported by Mastercard, presenting partner along with Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand, Taj Samudra, NDB Wealth, Yatra, Ninewells Aesthetic Centre, Tresemme, Vaseline, Juniper, Chupa Chups, Nestle-Nescafe, Vision Care, Knuckles, Hameedia, Ramani Fernando, Wijeya Newspapers, Hard Talk, Acorn and Emerging Media.