Sri Lanka's wildlife photography community had much to celebrate this month, with achievements on both international and national stages. The Natural History Museum in London, organisers of the world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, announced its highly commended entries this week, and among them was a striking photograph captured by Sri Lankan photographer Lakshitha Karunarathna. This is also selected by the organisers for the media release and features in international media such as BBC.
Considered the most prestigious wildlife photography competition in the world, Wildlife Photographer of the Year draws tens of thousands of entries from across the globe each year with this year having over 60,636 entries. Established in 1965, the competition is known not only for the sheer artistry and technical brilliance of its winning images but also for the strong conservation message they carry.
The commendable entry from Sri Lanka was titled "Toxic Tip" featuring a lone elephant walking on large pile of garbage. "The photograph was taken at a landfill site in Ampara, located near a protected area frequented by elephants in search of food scraps," Mr. Karunarathna told the SundayTimes. "Much of this waste is rotten and toxic, and elephants also end up consuming plastic and polythene. Through my image, I wanted to highlight the scale of this problem," he added.
For Sri Lanka, Lakshitha's recognition in such a high-standard global platform is significant. It places the island's photographers and wildlife in the global spotlight, reminding us that our small country can contribute powerfully to international conservation storytelling through images.
Meanwhile, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) held the National Wildlife Photographer of Sri Lanka competition earlier this month. This event, aimed at celebrating local talent, brought forward inspiring images from photographers across the island. The top award went to Vinsara Senanayake, whose winning photograph captured the dramatic moment seabirds dived in unison to hunt fish, while water was being sprayed by the motors of boats- taking calculated risk.
Opening the event, DWC Director General Ranjan Marasinghe said the occasion was more than just an awards ceremony -- it was a platform for knowledge sharing where seasoned photographers and young aspirants could learn from one another. "Wildlife photography is not just about clicking images as these photographs have the power to tell stories of conservation and capture the natural beauty of Sri Lanka, helping to cultivate a love for nature among the public." Mr. Marasinghe further stated.
The competition featured four main categories -- Animal Behaviour, Animal Portraits, Wildlife Macro, and Natural Habitats -- with winners selected from each before choosing the overall grand winner. This year, a special School Category was also introduced, and the winning image, titled 'Keep it Clean', showing a preening peafowl by young photographer Anton Jeirin, took the top spot in that section.
Delivering the keynote address, veteran conservationist Rohan Pethiyagoda raised concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on genuine wildlife photography. "I can create a wildlife image using AI tools in minutes. They may look realistic, but an experienced naturalist can still identify subtle hints that reveal it isn't real. However, in just two or three years, AI will sharpen its creations to the point where it will be extremely difficult to distinguish between real photographs and AI-generated images," he warned.
The rise of interest for wildlife photography also brings ethical questions. Photographers must ensure that their pursuit of the perfect shot does not disturb or harm the very creatures they seek to portray. Ethical guidelines -- such as avoiding nest disturbance, not baiting or harassing animals, and respecting natural behaviors -- are increasingly emphasised and both the London-based Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the Sri Lankan competition underline these ethical standards.