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Unravelling the mystery that is Sinharaja- through word and image
View(s):By Malaka Rodrigo
When Sri Lankans speak of natural heritage, names like Sinharaja and Knuckles inevitably surface. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites, recognised not merely for their beauty but for the irreplaceable ecological value they hold. Yet today, while Knuckles finds itself in the national spotlight due to a controversial road construction attempt that has triggered widespread debate, Sinharaja reminds us more quietly of what careful stewardship and public understanding can achieve.
Endemic tree-climbing crab
It is against this backdrop that an exhibition and a book celebrating the wonders of the Sinharaja Rainforest were launched last Friday, offering a timely reminder of why these forests and their biodiversity matter, and why public engagement is as critical as policy decisions in safeguarding them.
Sinharaja, one of Sri Lanka’s last viable tract of tropical lowland rainforest, has long been a living laboratory of biodiversity. With an exceptional level of endemism among its plants, birds, amphibians and insects, the forest is often described as the beating green heart of the island. Yet for many Sri Lankans, Sinharaja remains a distant name heard of, but not intimately known. 
The exhibition seeks to change that. Through carefully curated photographs, illustrations, field observations and interpretive panels, visitors are taken beyond the label of “rainforest” and introduced to the intricate relationships that sustain this ecosystem. From towering dipterocarps to tiny, often-overlooked invertebrates, the exhibition highlights how every component plays a role in keeping the forest alive.
Complementing the visual experience is a newly-launched book that documents Sinharaja’s natural history in an accessible, engaging manner. Rather than speaking only to scientists or conservationists, the book is clearly aimed at the wider public—students, teachers, families and anyone curious about the living world around them. It bridges science and storytelling, presenting facts alongside field anecdotes that convey the wonder of long days spent under the forest canopy.
The timing of this initiative is significant. The recent controversy surrounding Knuckles has underscored how fragile even protected landscapes can be when development pressures override ecological wisdom. Roads, however well-intentioned, fragment habitats, alter hydrology and open previously intact forests to a cascade of secondary impacts. The debate has also exposed a deeper issue: the gap between legal protection and public appreciation.
This is where exhibitions and books such as these play a vital role, says Vimukthi Weeratunga, one of the contributors of the exhibition and an author of the book. Conservation cannot rely solely on laws and boundaries; it must be rooted in public affection and understanding. People protect what they love, and they love what they know. By showcasing Sinharaja’s values, its complexity, its beauty, and its global significance we are attempting to build that emotional connection, Weeratunga told the Sunday Times.
In celebrating Sinharaja through art, science and storytelling, the exhibition and book do more than document a rainforest. They invite Sri Lankans to pause, reflect, and renew their relationship with nature—something that may ultimately be the strongest protection our forests have.
The book brings together four authors closely connected to Sri Lanka’s natural heritage. Thilak Jayaratne, an amateur naturalist, and Nadika Hapuarachchi, a wildlife and underwater photographer, are both widely published contributors to nature literature. Wildlife biologist Vimukthi Weeratunga adds scientific depth shaped by his experience in conservation leadership, while the late Janaka Gallangoda, a medical doctor and gifted nature photographer, is remembered through a visual legacy that continues to inspire conservation.
The exhibition will be open to the public with free entrance at Harold Peiris Gallery at the Lionel Wendt in Colombo on 13th and 14th of December from 10am to 7pm. Those interested can purchase the coffee table book at the exhibition or place an order through www.zeylanicus.com. Organisers offer more details through +94 77 749 4729.
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