Problem
The Slender Loris Conservation Action Plan (SLCAP) identified the plight of the Montane slender loris (Gamage et al. in press) a subspecies which is endemic to Sri Lanka and restricted to the Montane Evergreen Forests (MOEF), and identified that habitat fragmentation and degradation outweigh all other threats. Unfortunately the MOEF (1600m above msl) is one of the critically endangered ecosystems in Sri Lanka. The available natural vegetation for the Montane slender loris is less than 3500 ha and estimated population size is less than 60-100 mature individuals.Further, forest isolation is also high in this region; recent studies show all L. t. nycticeboides occupied forests were isolated viz. Horton Plains NP, Conical Hill FR, Single Tree FR, and Haggala SNR. As a critically endangered animal, this situation tends to enhance the conservation attention to this animal.
Proposed Solution
To overcome these problems the Slender Loris Conservation Project (LORRIS is a partner organisation of this project) initiates montane forest restoration programme call "Reestablishing Ecological Corridors". The project is taking a holistic view, adopting an ecosystem approach to restore and reconnect, via ecological corridors between the remaining Montane Evergreen Forests of central Sri Lanka. Only native montane trees are used for the replanting process. This will enhance the local climatic/watershed and control erosion in the region. It is proposed that replanting will be implemented via community cooperatives, ensuring further appropriate awareness raising and environmental engagement amongst relevant community groups, again aimed at reducing further forest encroachment and providing an economic benefit (via replanting and management fees) in return for reforestation services provided by these local community cooperatives. The benefits of replanting to the plantation owners and community groups, demonstrating economic and social benefits of such work, representing a win-win for commercial and conservation interests.