Restoring Rainforests, Engaging Communities

Protecting the
Rain Forests of Sri Lanka

Land Owners Restore Rainforests in Sri Lanka (LORRIS) works directly with local landowners to reconnect fragmented montane evergreen canopy corridors—safeguarding the critically endangered Montane Slender Loris.

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Mature Montane Loris Remaining

76 km²

Extent of Occurrence

28 km²

Area of Occupancy

Species Focus

South Western Red Slender Loris

Loris tardigradus ssp. tardigradus — Endemic primate species across Sri Lanka's south western wet-zone rainforests.

Status: Endangered 1 / 6

Found in rainforests in South western wet-zone region.

Conservation Status

Found in rainforests in South western wet-zone region.

Canopy Corridors Solution

Because lorises are strictly arboreal and rarely walk on open ground, LORRIS works with private land owners to construct and preserve natural continuous canopy bridges across tea estates and mountain roads.

Nocturnal Field Research

Our teams utilize specialized non-invasive red-light camera traps and thermal tracking to monitor canopy bridge usage and catalog surviving individuals.

Our Pillars of Action

What We Do

Integrating scientific conservation, private landowner agreements, and community engagement across Sri Lanka’s wet zone.

Integrated Action Map

LORRIS Conservation & Community Ecosystem

Click to enlarge high-resolution action roadmap

Flagship Program

Conservation & Replanting

Sri Lanka's wet zone retains just 8% of its original primary forest[cite: 1]. LORRIS operates community plant nurseries that cultivate native montane trees (*Dipterocarpus*, *Acronychia*). We partner with tea estate owners to replant and reconnect isolated forest islands so loris populations can safely migrate and exchange genes.

Education & Younger Generation

School environmental programmes that empower the younger generation in Nuwara Eliya and Kandy to appreciate endemic biodiversity. We set up fruit gardens featuring local fruit varieties like mango, guava, lemon, and avocado, organize rainforest field trips, and establish activity rooms in local schools.

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Community & Eco-Tourism

Empowering local forest communities with sustainable alternatives: non-invasive nocturnal observation points, red-light camera trap monitoring, eco-tourism training, and native tree sapling sales that generate direct household income.

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