In a rather unconventional approach to wildlife management, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation has announced a nationwide wildlife census on March 15, 2025, urging citizens to count monkeys, peacocks, raccoons, and squirrels—all within a tight five-minute window. The initiative, which officials have compared to synchronizing meal preparation for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, aims to gather data on the animals responsible for agricultural destruction and ongoing human-wildlife conflicts.
Additional Secretary Disna Ratnasinghe stated that the survey will rely entirely on public participation, as no effort will be made to count animals in forests. Instead, residents are expected to scan their surroundings between 8:00 AM and 8:05 AM and jot down how many monkeys, peacocks, raccoons, and squirrels they see. The Ministry insists that if done properly, there should be no double counting—a rather ambitious expectation, given that wild animals are not known for staying in place for administrative purposes.
The census is organized at the Grama Niladhari division level, with Grama Niladharis taking the lead alongside Samurdhi Development Officeras, Economic Development Officers, and Agricultural Research and Production Assistants. These officials will distribute forms, collect data, and ensure participation, although how they will verify the accuracy of citizen-led monkey and peacock tallies remains anyone’s guess.
Special efforts will be made to coordinate with schools, religious institutions, universities, and hospitals, ensuring that no campus squirrel or temple monkey is left uncounted. For large plantations, field officers will be tasked with gathering data, while owners of abandoned properties will have their neighbors spy on their animal populations instead.
To ensure mass participation, the Ministry has launched an extensive media campaign via print, electronic, and social platforms, urging citizens to treat this census as a national responsibility. While the government insists that the data will drive evidence-based policies and conservation strategies, one can’t help but wonder whether Sri Lanka is pioneering a new method of wildlife management or just hosting the country’s first-ever synchronized monkey headcount.
