Sarath Kotagama

Sarath Wimalabandara Kotagama (Sinhalese: සරත් විමලබන්ඩාර කොටගම or Sarath Kotagama) is head of the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo and has done extraordinary service to Sri Lanka as an ornithologist and Environmentalist. He was awarded the "2003 Distinguished Service Award for Environment Education and Journalism" by the International Society for conservation biology. He is the leading ornithologist in Sri Lanka.

Kotagama has conducted several Scientific studies and rendered his services to several government and non governmental institutions as a zoologist, biologist, environmental scientist, and conservationist. The endemic toad Bufo kotagamai is named after Kotagama for the honour.

Early life

Sarath Kotagama obtained his BSc. at the University of Colombo, and wrote his PhD on the feeding and behavioral ecology of rose-ringed parakeet at the University of Aberdeen. Prof. Kotagama has been a lecturer in Zoology both at University of Colombo and The Open University of Sri Lanka since 1974. He is a former Director, Department of Wildlife Conservation of Sri Lanka. Currently he is a Scientific adviser to the Ministry of Wildlife Resources Conservation. He is the only ornithologist that study about house crow in Sri Lanka.

Positions

Professor Kotagama was the past president of Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka.[1] Senior Ornithologist, Professor of Environment Science, Head of the Environmental Science Department: University of Colombo, Vice President of Ecotourism Society of Sri Lanka, Ornithologist and Environmentalist in the Society for Conservation Biology.

Permanent

May 1997 – present Professor of Environmental Science, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Colombo 3.

January 1990 – April 1997 Senior Lecturer - Grade I / Zoology Division, Open University of Sri Lanka

February 1989 – December 1989 Senior Lecture Grade II, Zoological Division, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Open University of Sri Lanka


March 1985 - February 1997 Lecturer, Division of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Open University of Sri Lanka


June 1982 - April 1984 Lecturer, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Colombo

August 1974 -1984, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Colombo

February 1974 - July 1974 Temporary Research Assistant, National Science Council (Presently Natural Resources, Energy and Science Authority of Sri Lanka) on Grant 2/RG/72/37

State service

October 1989 – June 199: Director, Department of Wildlife Conservation (On Secondment)

Consultancy

2002-2006: Deputy Team Leader/Protected Area Management Specialist. Protected Area Management & Wildlife Conservation Project (ADB). Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources

October 1994 - September 1995: Biodiversity Consultant, (on leave/ secondment)Ministry of Transport, Environment & Women’s Affairs

September 1992 - October 1992: Wetland Consultant, Wetland Conservation Project/ Euro consult.

Statutory appointments

Member, Environmental Council (1994–2008) Central Environmental Authority.

Member, Fauna and Flora Advisory Committee, Department of Wildlife Conservation (2007–2008)

Member, Advisory Committee to the National Museum, Department of National Museums (2007–present)

Chairman, Environment Council (1992) Central Environmental Authority

Member of Board, Central Environmental Authority, commencing September 1997 – 2003 (two terms)

Member, Board of Management – Sri Lanka Foundation 2003-2005

Member, Environmental Council (1989-92), Central Environmental Authority

Writings

Prof. Kotagama published E-book on birds titled as "An Illustrated guide to Birds of Sri Lanka".

Guides

References

  1. ↑ Dole, Nilma (15 March 2009). "Not a ‘bird-brained’ plan!". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 2009-10-21.


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