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In 2017, Sri Lanka set a goal to increase its forest cover to 32% by 2030 (Sri Lanka UN‐REDD, 2017). However, on November 4th 2020, the government published circular MWFC/1/2020 revoking the circular 5/2001 of August 10th 2001, one of the country's most crucial forest protection directives. The revocation of the 5/2001 circular could severely hamper this target, posing a threat of deforestation to a variety of ecosystems which are not part of any formally designated protected areas (PA) in Sri Lanka, also known as Other State Forests. This includes forested areas adjoining PAs which are crucial for habitat connectivity and standalone state forest lands. Such a retrograde step could have potentially catastrophic ramifications on Sri Lanka's declining forest cover. It would also severely weaken the country's commitments to inter alia, the UNREDD Programme, Kyoto protocol and CBD. We therefore call on the Government of Sri Lanka to urgently reconsider and reverse this decision.

This study was conducted in the Knuckles Forest Region in central Sri Lanka, and investigated how termite species richness, abundance and functional group diversity vary in different montane forest types and identified the likely causes of this pattern. Termite diversity declined with increased elevation, with upper montane forests recording a single endemic species, Postelectrotermes militaris Desneux. Transect sampling in lower montane forests yielded 26 species, with a higher number from dry forests (22 species) than from wet forests (15 species). Species specificity also was high in dry forests (11 species) compared with wet forests (four species). Termite abundance did not show a distinct trend in dry and wet forests. Live-wood termites were present only in upper montane and high-altitude lower montane dry forests. Wet forests had a higher relative abundance (78%) but not species richness (40%) of soil and soil–wood interface feeders. In dry forests, both species richness (82%) and abundance (88%) of fungus-growing wood feeders were higher. The study suggests that key drivers of the species distribution pattern are low temperature and differing forest floor conditions. In the upper montane forest floor where earthworms dominate, wet soil and damp, woody litter riddled with beetles are not favourable for termites. In lower montane wet forests, moist, thick decomposing leaf litter and in dry forests, drier, relatively undecomposed leaf litter with many dry sticks and branches support species with specific food habits.

Phalaenopsis mysorensis Saldanha, an orchid species endemic to South India has recently been recorded in Sri Lanka from a few isolated hill forests in the northern and eastern dry lowlands. The minute habit, small white flowers and short unbranched peduncle distinguishes P. mysorensis from its congener P. deliciosa, the only recorded Phalaenopsis in Sri Lanka. The habit and habitat of the species are described based on recent observations and collections. Key words: Orchid, Kingidium , isolated hills, Sri Lanka, India doi: 10.4038/cjsbs.v37i2.503 Cey. J. Sci. (Bio. Sci.) 37 (2): 163-166, 2008

A new species of rock dwelling gecko belonging to the genus Cnemaspis is described from Sri Lanka based on a suite of morphological features. The species is the largest of its genus described from Sri Lanka so far (snout-vent length 52–54 mm) and is the second largest of the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot. It may be diagnosed in details of both scalation (ventrals186–207; mid-subcaudals large; absence of precloacal pores; 15 femoral pores on each side; 22–23 and 23–25 subdigital lamellae on finger IV and on toe IV, respectively; smooth scales on tail dorsum) and colouration (five prominent trilobate shaped cream markings pointing towards head and extending from neck to vent).The species is found in a unique habitat in the Rammalakanda Forest, where it is threatened by deforestation.