Barred danio (Devario pathirana)

These colourful fish with dark-blue stripes can be found in Sri Lanka’s freshwater pebbly streams and ponds, in lowland tropical rainforest. They live in groups of 3-5, swim slowly near the surface and eat insects and larvae.

Like many of Sri Lanka’s ornamental fish, they are at risk from pollution (chemicals washed into water) and illegal collection for sale to aquarium owners. They are Critically Endangered which means they have a high risk of becoming extinct in the wild in the near future. But if left alone they can double their numbers in only 15 months – which means if we look after the remaining few fish carefully – it won’t take too long before they are off the endangered list.

What can you do to help?

1. Don’t catch ornamental fish from the wild
It’s illegal, and taking fish from their natural home, especially when there are not many left, stops them from breeding and increasing their numbers. If you see someone catching fish illegally, tell a responsible adult and you can inform the police together.

2. Don’t release aquarium fish into the wild.
They could be sick and spread disease – infecting other, healthy fish.

3. Check before you buy
It is illegal to buy and sell many of Sri Lanka’s ornamental fish because they are threatened. If you are going to buy fish, check first to make sure they are not a protected species.

4. Keep streams clean
It’s important to not pollute rivers with rubbish or chemicals from factories, farming and homes. Keep your local streams clean for fish to live and breathe in.

» Find out how else you can help to protect Sri Lanka's endangered species

Illustration by Aisa Hewatathirana

Karunaratne's narrow-mouthed frog (Microhyla karunaratnei)

Ever heard of a rice frog? Meet Karunaratne's narrow-mouthed frog. This group of frogs got their name from their habit of laying eggs in shallow pools, made from activities like rice farming. Because the puddles don’t last a long time, rice frogs turn from tadpoles into frogs in only a few weeks.

They live in shaded areas of tropical moist forests and love wet leaves. You can find them in Sinharaja usually in tangled roots and grass stems surrounding small water pools.

Karunaratne’s story is similar to many of Sri Lanka’s amphibians. It is a Critically Endangered and rare species. One of their biggest threats is poisoning from pollution by chemicals used in farming. They also suffer from habitat loss, when the forests they live in are cut down. But amazingly, these little critters have taken advantage of areas that have been deforested to find new homes, nesting in gem pits made through illegal mining activities.

What can you do to help save Sri Lanka’s amphibians?

1.Look after your environment
Frogs are very sensitive to pollution and chemicals. Help protect their homes by looking after your local environment, recycling, using less plastic and polythene, properly disposing of rubbish and cleaning areas frogs live in.

2.Start an amphibian group
Find out more about the frogs in your area and how you can help conserve them. Learn how to identify them by how they look and by their calls. Raise awareness in your community about how to protect them. Why not design a poster, write an article for your school paper or have a frog day at school?

3.Celebrate Save The Frogs Day. Get involved at www.savethefrogs.com/day



Illustration by Asia Hewatathirana

The Purple-faced leaf monkey (Trachypithecus vetulus)

Bark whoop whoop snort. Bark whoop whoop snort.

Welcome to the Purple-faced leaf monkeys’ great call.

With a great show of bounding through trees and spectacular leaps of up to 50 feet, you can often hear the male monkeys shouting loudly in the morning.

If you are lucky, you will come across a brownish-black face, with a bushy grey beard, peeking through the leaves of a tree. They live in groups of between 3 and 8 in tree tops, and love eating new leaves, fruits and seeds.

Endangered status

The purple-faced leaf monkey is an endangered animal in Sri Lanka - and one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world.

The forest areas where monkeys live in Southern Sri Lanka have been cut down over the past 150 years to make room for plantations, farms and villages. The monkeys are also sadly seen as pests, who eat fruit and vegetables from gardens, jump on roofs or pull down cables. But what people don’t realise is because the forests have shrunk, the monkeys don’t have anywhere else to go.

What can you do to help?

1. Spread the word! Many people don’t realise the purple-faced leaf monkey is endangered. By explaining there aren’t many left, and encouraging people to help protect monkeys rather than treat them like a nuisance, you can help prevent further extinctions.

2. Protect habitats. Monkeys rely on tree canopies and fruits to survive. By helping to protect the forests they live in, and planting new trees, you can create safe habitats for the monkey’s to live.



Illustration by Aisa Hewatathirana