The Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka celebrated its Golden Jubilee with the launch of a commemorative book of ornithological writings, reflecting on five decades of transforming birdwatching from an elite pursuit into a popular science accessible to the general public.
The Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) commemorated its 50th anniversary on August 22 with the launch of The Best of Malkoha, a collection drawing from five decades of writings published in the organisation's newsletter. The event, held at the University of Colombo's Faculty of Science, also marked the organisation's first-ever Founders' Day, timed to coincide with Emeritus Professor Sarath Kotagama's 76th birthday. Kotagama, one of FOGSL's four founding members, was celebrated as a central figure in Sri Lanka's modern conservation movement.
Biodiversity expert Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda delivered the keynote address, highlighting FOGSL's greatest achievement: making ornithological knowledge accessible beyond specialist circles. He credited Professor Kotagama with proposing an affordable field guide in the early 1990s, resulting in the 1994 publication of A Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka, which became a bestseller and was subsequently translated into Sinhala as Sri Lanka Kurulu. Pethiyagoda described witnessing young schoolchildren using these guides to identify birds as evidence of knowledge transmission across generations.
While acknowledging Sri Lanka's progress in conservation and the expansion of protected areas, Pethiyagoda warned that serious challenges remain. He identified habitat fragmentation, climate change, inadequate scientific research and restrictions on fieldwork as major obstacles. He emphasised the need to restore ecological connectivity between fragmented habitats to allow species migration in response to climate shifts, and called for greater investment in ex-situ conservation facilities across different climatic zones.
Pethiyagoda highlighted citizen science as a promising avenue forward, noting that over 20,000 Sri Lankans now contribute biodiversity data through platforms like iNaturalist. FOGSL itself, founded in 1976 by four bird enthusiasts with the philosophy that enthusiasm and observation matter more than academic credentials, has evolved into Sri Lanka's BirdLife International partner. Professor Kotagama emphasised that future conservation progress depends on science-based decision-making and reduced bureaucratic barriers to field research, stressing that both natural and social sciences are essential for effective conservation.
