New Livestock Insurance Scheme to Be Launched to Protect Sri Lankan Leopards

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka under its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) together with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) and LOLC, under the guidance of the Department of Wildlife Conservation is launching a groundbreaking “Livestock Insurance Scheme in Sri Lanka. 

This initiative aims to reduce retaliatory killings of the endangered Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) by providing prompt monetary compensation to farmers whose livestock have been lost to leopard predation. The first of its kind initiative seeks to protect farmers’ livelihoods while conserving Sri Lanka’s iconic leopard.

The Sri Lankan Leopard, a crucial component of the island’s ecosystem, faces immense pressure due to shrinking habitats and declining natural prey. This has led to increasing negative human-leopard interactions, with leopards occasionally preying on domestic livestock and pets. Tragically, this often results in retaliatory killings of leopards by farmers who have suffered economic losses.

Under this scheme,  in the case of a livestock predation incident by a leopard occurs, affected farmers can report the case to designated WNPS regional officer and after the verification and assessment by the DWC, veterinary and Grama Niladhari officers, eligible claims will be processed promptly, and compensation will be disbursed directly to the livestock owner.

While providing financial relief as its first step, the program also places strong emphasis on long-term livestock protection measures to support farmers in reducing the likelihood of such losses in the first place.