Sanjayan's journey takes him to his homeland of Sri Lanka to perform a rapid assessment of the tsunami's impact to Sri Lanka's environment
Photo © Mark Godfrey/TNC, Map © TNC
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A Personal Journey with Sanjayan to Assess Sri Lanka's Coastal Environment
Listen to our audio chat:
Sanjayan recently answered questions about his journey to Sri Lanka to assess the impact of the tsunami on the environment and people.
Listen to an audio archive of our chat!
New: Sanjayan's postscript to his journey is now online.
Sanjayan, a lead scientist for The Nature Conservancy, recently took part in the first survey of the damage to the environment caused by the tsunami in Sri Lanka. The tsunami devastated many of the national parks and coral reefs of this tear-shaped country. Sri Lanka’s national parks are among the most ecologically important environments in the world.
This was more than just a rapid assessment of the tsunami disaster for Sanjayan: it was a personal journey. Sanjayan was born in Sri Lanka. The tsunami hit Sri Lanka on December 26th, his birthday.
Read Sanjayan's Postcards from the Field as he documents the impact of the tsunami on the people, species, and environment of Sri Lanka.
A Rapid Assessment of Sri Lanka's Coastal Environment:
- Postcard #1: A Personal Journey Becomes Something Much Greater >>
January 21, 2005 | Washington, DC USA and Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is where I was born. The tsunami hit on the day of my birthday...
- Postcard #2: The Damage Done to People and the Reefs >>
January 22-25, 2005 | Southern Sri Lanka
In the morning we begin a series of dives along the reef. From a local dive master, we learn that we are the first to dive here since the tsunami...
- Postcard #3: Waking a Sleeping Elephant >>
January 25-26, 2005 | Southern Sri Lanka
Leaving the crowded, inhabited coast we journeyed into Yala National Park – a quarter million acres of protected dry scrub forest, grasslands, and estuaries...
- Postcard #4: Over Land and Sea >>
January 27-31, 2005 | Southern Sri Lanka
From 500 feet up, and at speed, our world becomes clearer...
- Postscript: What I Learned in Sri Lanka >>
February, 2005 | Washington, DC
The tsunami gives Sri Lanka and other affected countries a chance to pause and rethink the management of natural resources...
- Wireless Reports >>
Coral is less damaged than expected. Have been doing four dives per day and totally exhausted. Staff holding up despite sea sickness...
- Profile: About Sanjayan, Lead Scientist for the Nature Conservancy >>
Sanjayan's job is to ensure that The Nature Conservancy is using the best available scientific methods in order to implement its mission...
- Donate: Support The Nature Conservancy's ongoing efforts in the Asia-Pacific region >>
Your gift today will enable our science-based conservation of coral reefs, rainforests and other threatened areas throughout the region.
- In The News: Tsunami relief that will last
Denver Post, March 4, 2005
As M.A. Sanjayan, lead scientist for The Nature Conservancy, surveyed the environmental toll from the Dec. 26 tsunami, he saw that although the destruction had been uneven, it wasn't necessarily random.
- In The News: Nature Bounces Back on Sri Lanka's Coast
NPR Morning Edition, February 24, 2005
In a two-part series of reports for the NPR/National Geographic co-production Radio Expeditions, Elizabeth Arnold journeys to the island nation of Sri Lanka with one of the first teams to assess the environmental aftermath.
- Press Release: First Environmental Survey of Tsunami Damage Shows Sri Lankan Coasts and Forests Hurt but Rebounding
The tsunami has left Sri Lanka's marine areas dangerously clogged with debris that could cause long-term damage to coral reefs and marine species, but scientists say there are many signs of hope: trees are regenerating, wildlife is returning to damaged areas, and coral reefs are largely intact.
- In The News: Sea and jungle life bounce back from the tsunami's battering
The Independent (London), February 16, 2005
The first assessment of the damage to wildlife caused by the Asian tsunami found nature has been surprisingly resilient to the effects of the giant waves.
