{"id":1632,"date":"2026-09-20T21:05:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T21:05:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/20\/unicorn778-as-drought-shrinks-sri-lankas-water-holes-poisoning-poses-threat-to-wildlife-peluang-terburuk-saat-bermain-slot-online\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T21:05:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T21:05:52","slug":"unicorn778-as-drought-shrinks-sri-lankas-water-holes-poisoning-poses-threat-to-wildlife-peluang-terburuk-saat-bermain-slot-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/20\/unicorn778-as-drought-shrinks-sri-lankas-water-holes-poisoning-poses-threat-to-wildlife-peluang-terburuk-saat-bermain-slot-online\/","title":{"rendered":"UNICORN778 As drought shrinks Sri Lanka\u2019s water holes, poisoning poses threat to wildlife Peluang Terburuk Saat Bermain Slot Online"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"post-330105\">&#13;<\/p>\n<div class=\"bulletpoints-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"bulletpoints\">\n<ul>\n<li><em>Sri Lanka will keep the two most visited sections of Yala National Park closed from Sept. 14 to Oct. 15 as drought conditions and extreme heat intensify pressure on wildlife.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Wildlife officers are supplying water to animals as natural water sources have largely dried up but concentrating thirsty wild animals around remaining water holes could spark new conservation risks.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Poachers have previously poisoned water holes during droughts to kill deer and other animals for meat, with similar incidents reported in and around several protected areas across Sri Lanka.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>The crisis highlights how climate-driven water shortages expose wildlife to an array of fresh threats.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"content-expander\"><span>See All Key Ideas<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<p>YALA, Sri Lanka \u2013 One early morning in July 2016, six wildlife officers waited in a patch of scrubland close to a small pond in southern Sri Lanka. They had received information that poachers had poisoned the water hole to kill wild animals for meat. A dead deer lay beside the poisoned pool as the officers waited for the poachers to return.<\/p>\n<p>When two men approached the carcass, the officers moved in. One suspect fled, while a wildlife ranger tackled the other as he tried to escape. During the struggle, the ranger\u2019s rifle discharged, fatally wounding him in the stomach. The officer was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sundaytimes.lk\/160710\/news\/brave-ranger-killed-in-showdown-at-poisoned-waterhole-200154.html\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">incident<\/a>, in the Sinukkugala jungles about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the town <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps?sca_esv=6a0a97182983e41a&amp;output=search&amp;q=Hambantota&amp;source=lnms&amp;fbs=ABfTbFVyMZGZf1hfvX9uKjN_-G8c4u0nXx4bEIpwm1lnNH832U1CFDVh7aOiOPRjGOuZsttGjVtm3SQ8YygAFFH6bpyGlf4c5PR0UmHncQtj0N3hy6ucswm9SgR1T1FYCn8f_OfZCKzHYL5PQuYxbLC1sKJr_IIkTQdXdgjKK7NZHtyPuRbbz7vL4oeeC7x1tW31_lwhvmb2OVByEyVTUBNw1lqcs4F4yQ&amp;entry=mc&amp;ved=1t:200715&amp;ictx=111\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Hambantota<\/a> in the South exposed the deadly chain behind a seemingly simple act: Putting poison into a water hole.<\/p>\n<p>The poachers were not just killing a single animal; they were turning water \u2014 one of the most vital resources in Sri Lanka\u2019s dry-zone landscape \u2014 into a trap. Nearly a decade later, wildlife officials continue to warn against the practice as poisoning incidents persist. In one such incident in July of this year, wildlife officers found 17 deer carcasses beside an empty agrochemical bag that may have been used to poison the animals.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_330121\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-330121\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17132435\/1.-Drought-and-Wildlife-A-pregnant-deer-killed-by-drinking-from-a-poisoned-water-hole-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17132435\/1.-Drought-and-Wildlife-A-pregnant-deer-killed-by-drinking-from-a-poisoned-water-hole-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17132435\/1.-Drought-and-Wildlife-A-pregnant-deer-killed-by-drinking-from-a-poisoned-water-hole-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This pregnant doe died after drinking from a poisoned water hole, which also killed her unborn fawn. Image courtesy of the Department of Wildlife Conservation Facebook page.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During droughts, wildlife becomes concentrated around fewer water sources, potentially making animals more vulnerable to poaching. It is an inhumane method of killing them, says <a href=\"https:\/\/lk.linkedin.com\/in\/ajith-gunathunga-b06318165\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Ajith Gunathunga<\/a>, a wildlife ranger with the Department of Wildlife Conservation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dwc.gov.lk\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">DWC<\/a>). Instances of water hole poisoning are frequently reported in arid areas like Hambantota as water becomes scarce during the dry spell, though it is not a problem unique to the area, Gunathunga said. Water holes in scattered shrub jungles are often targeted by poachers, the ranger added.<\/p>\n<p>Poisoning of water holes is also a serious wildlife crime as it could kill not only the intended animal but also other animals that gather to drink water, <a href=\"https:\/\/lk.linkedin.com\/in\/ranjan-marasinghe-302a3b15\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Ranjan Marasinghe<\/a>, director general of DWC, told Mongabay. During periods of drought, when animals depend on fewer water sources, rangers remain particularly vigilant around these locations, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis year, the drought became intensified due to El Ni\u00f1o conditions, destroying many crops and leaving farmers struggling to make a living. Some have turned to poaching as a method of earning a living,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/U-Weerathunga\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Sameera Weerathunga<\/a>, a researcher with the Udawalawe Elephant Research Project (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.elephantresearch.net\/uwerp.html\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">UERP<\/a>).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_330125\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-330125\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17132657\/2.-A-family-of-monkeys-poisoned-to-death-768x512.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17132657\/2.-A-family-of-monkeys-poisoned-to-death-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17132657\/2.-A-family-of-monkeys-poisoned-to-death-350x233.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Poisoning of water holes can kill not only the intended animals but also other wildlife like this family of monkeys killed due to poisoning. Image courtesy of the Department of Wildlife Conservation Facebook page.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As climate change is predicted to increase the severity of droughts, addressing the livelihoods and economic vulnerabilities of communities living around wildlife-concentrated areas will be important to prevent people from turning into poachers, Weerathunga told Mongabay.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, the contaminated meat of wild animals killed by poisoning could be harmful to people, as consuming such meat could expose people to toxic chemicals, Weerathunga noted. He urged the public not to consume wild meat as the demand contributes to increased poaching, which results in inhumane killings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Drought forces park closure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As drought conditions combine with the El Nino effects intensify, wildlife authorities have closed Block 1 and II, the two most popular sections of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yala_National_Park\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Yala National Park<\/a>, to visitors from Sept. 14 to Oct. 15 as animals are experiencing heat stress. The closure comes as natural water sources inside the park shrink and animals increasingly depend on the remaining ponds and water holes, Marasinghe said.<\/p>\n<p>For a park famous for its leopards, elephants, sloth bears and other wildlife, closure of the two sections serves as a reminder that water could become the most critical resource during Sri Lanka\u2019s prolonged dry periods, which will become even more challenging as climate change increases the severity.<\/p>\n<p>The DWC has begun supplying water to wildlife in several protected areas severely affected by the drought. \u201cWe provide water to at least 20 water holes in Block I of Yala National Park daily,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/vkgpadmasiri.gamage\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Padmasiri Gamage<\/a>, a wildlife ranger attached to Yala. He said the department has installed four solar-powered pumps that continuously draw and supply water to the park\u2019s water holes. Previous years saw some private parties providing water in an adhoc manner, but providing water should be done in a systematic way, Gamage said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_330127\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-330127\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133229\/4.-Navy-provides-water-to-Delfts-wild-ponies-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133229\/4.-Navy-provides-water-to-Delfts-wild-ponies-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133229\/4.-Navy-provides-water-to-Delfts-wild-ponies-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133229\/4.-Navy-provides-water-to-Delfts-wild-ponies-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Around 400 wild ponies in drought-hit Delft island in Sri Lanka\u2019s North suffer from a severe water shortage, prompting the Sri Lanka Navy to supply emergency water. Image courtesy of the Sri Lanka Navy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While animals in Sri Lanka\u2019s Deep South struggle with water scarcity, animals in the North face similar challenges. On <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Delft_National_Park\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Delft Island<\/a>, a flat island in Northern Sri Lanka, around 400 free-roaming wild ponies are parched without enough drinking water. With no permanent rivers in the island, these animals depend largely on limited wells and other seasonal water sources, which can become depleted during prolonged dry periods. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navy.lk\/index.html\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Sri Lanka Navy<\/a> has responded to the crisis by supplying water to help sustain the ponies, highlighting how drought is forcing authorities to provide emergency support to wildlife even in areas far from the island\u2019s better-known national parks.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A new conservation challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sri Lanka is experiencing one of its most severe dry spells in years, putting both communities and ecosystems under significant pressure.<\/p>\n<p>The poisoned water hole incidents expose a disturbing paradox. As wildlife becomes increasingly dependent on fewer water sources, animal movements become more predictable, creating opportunities for poachers to exploit that vulnerability. As for wildlife officers, keeping animals alive during an intense drought means more than just providing water. It calls for ensuring that water is also safe to drink.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_330128\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-330128\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133607\/Mud-concrete-water-hole-at-Lunugamwehera-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133607\/Mud-concrete-water-hole-at-Lunugamwehera-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133607\/Mud-concrete-water-hole-at-Lunugamwehera-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/09\/17133607\/Mud-concrete-water-hole-at-Lunugamwehera-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wildlife authorities pump water to artificial water holes daily to save wild animals from death. Image courtesy of the Department of Wildlife Conservation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There are other unseen challenges as well. Yala\u2019s gates closed on Sept. 14 due to a prevailing drought, but the skies immediately opened in many parts of Sri Lanka, including the Yala region. The rainfall had already begun replenishing some of the dried-up water holes, but closing a park and subsequently reversing that decision is not easy, said Marasinghe, as it involves a tedious approval process.<\/p>\n<p>To this situation, climate change impacts add a fresh layer of concerns, including these management challenges by disrupting established seasonal patterns and increasing the frequency of extreme conditions. \u201cWe have to constantly reassess the situation and adapt our management,\u201d Marasinghe told Mongabay.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Banner Image:\u00a0<\/strong>As the drought intensifies, these remaining water holes can become a lifeline for wildlife. Image courtesy of Mevan Piyasena.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"single-article-footer\">\n<div id=\"cite-article\" class=\"align-left banner bg-brand-color crossref-doi outlined ph--16 pv--16\">\n<h2>Cite this article<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"crossref-doi\">Malaka Rodrigo (2026). As drought shrinks Sri Lanka\u2019s water holes, poisoning poses threat to wildlife. Mongabay Conservation news. DOI: <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.66709\/news-330105\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.66709\/news-330105<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"container in-column about-editor-translator gap--40 pv--80\">\n<div class=\"container grid--3 repeat gap--40\">\n<div class=\"in-row gap--16\">\n<div class=\"author-avatar\">\n                    <img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/152b62b4ad0cb65baa318dabf06ea7afd9ac52b461f29d51d3545461431b972f?s=32&amp;d=identicon&amp;r=g\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/152b62b4ad0cb65baa318dabf06ea7afd9ac52b461f29d51d3545461431b972f?s=64&amp;d=identicon&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo\" height=\"32\" width=\"32\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/>        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n                            <span class=\"article-comments\"><a href=\"\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\"\/><\/span>&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n                            &#13;<br \/>\n        &#13;\n                        <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#13; Sri Lanka will keep the two most visited sections of Yala National Park closed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[12,1461,3823,1098,14,9,3824,3825,11,3822,13,738,10,597,2,269,50],"class_list":["post-1632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-unicorn778","tag-bermain","tag-drought","tag-holes","tag-lankas","tag-online","tag-peluang","tag-poisoning","tag-poses","tag-saat","tag-shrinks","tag-slot","tag-sri","tag-terburuk","tag-threat","tag-unicorn778","tag-water","tag-wildlife"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1632\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}