June Volunteers wrap up the month with their experiences

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Shelby Cooper 03
 

“I’ve learnt an invaluable amount about conservation & wildlife in such a short period of time.” Shelby Cooper, New Zealand
Elephant WG 03

Nate Bills
Australia

The location for the project is awesome! You are so close to the national park and the villages where you can see elephants. Everyone working at the field house is so nice and they make it a good atmosphere when you are working or relaxing in between activities. The cooking from Mahinda is the best I had on my trip.

We were really lucky seeing elephants every day, especially at the park where we saw heaps in one afternoon and even saw one of the two bulls with tusks.

Ravi answered any questions I had before I arrived and Chinthaka and Chat were great with the organization of getting us there and planning all the activities. It was quiet when I was there but I would still definitely recommend it as the experience was incredible and I can imagine it would only be better with a lot of volunteers to share it with.
Nate Bills 05
Nate Bills 03
Shelby Cooper 02
Nate Bills 02
Nate Bills 04
Shelby Cooper 01

Activities Shelby & Nate did during a week

Monday, June 24th 2019 – Arrival and settling in. Orientation: Introduction to SLWCS, staff, community, projects and programs.

Tuesday, June 25th 2019

Morning – Dung transacts – Weheragala Tank (Lake). Observed marked dung plots for second week.

Afternoon – Observed one male elephant named Dilshan near the Weheragala Tank.
Nate Shelby 01
Nate Shelby 02
Elephant WG 03

Wednesday, June 26th 2019

Morning – Pug mark survey, Akkara Kala paddy fields and stream.

Afternoon – One elephant was observed near the Weheragala Village electric fence trying to break the fence. A destroyed papaya garden was observed by the volunteers near the electric fence.
Nate Shelby 04

Pug mark survey
Nate Shelby 03

Taking measurements of pug marks
Elephant WG 02

The elephant lurking by the electric fence to break in
Crop Damage 01

Propping up the broken fence post.

Thursday, June 27th 2019

Morning – Electric fence monitoring – Guruwelayaya. Elephant activities were observed near the fence.

Afternoon – visited the national park. Observed a total of 80 elephants in 4 herds.
Nate Shelby 05

Electric fence monitoring and helping with maintenance
Elephant WNP 01
Elephant WNP 02

Friday, June 28th 2019

Morning – Checking camera traps in Karu Forest.

Afternoon – Two elephants were recorded from the Tree Hut.
Nate Shelby 07
Elephant WG 04

Shelby Cooper
New Zealand

Kia Ora* & thanks so much for having me for this past week – I’ve learnt an invaluable amount about conservation & wildlife in such a short period of time. All the staff here are so much fun and I’ve enjoyed every moment with you even if I have no idea what most of you are saying most of the time.

I hope to be able to convince many more New Zealanders to choose to volunteer with your project!

Special mention about Mahinda’s cooking – as it’s the best food I’ve had whilst being in Sri Lanka for this past month.

All the best & I hope to see you guys again in the future – 1 week was too short!

*Kia Ora is a Māori-language greeting which translates literally as “have life”, “be well”, or “be healthy”, and is also used as an informal greeting equivalent to “hi” or “hello”.
Shelby Cooper 02
Shelby Cooper 04

Setting up a remote camera trap
Nate Shelby 06

Electric fence monitoring
Elephant WG 05
Elephant WG 01

Big, rumbling thanks to our Corporate Partners for their kind support and to everyone who has donated and supported our wildlife conservation efforts!
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Photo Credits:

Chathuranga Dharmarathne/SLWCS
Volunteers/SLWCS
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Thanks to the generous support of our friends, volunteers and donors the EleBus will Keep on Rolling creating peace and coexistence for People and Elephants

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[image: unnamed (1).jpg]
“One hundred and twenty school children travel daily in the EleBus.” The SLWCS The EleBus will continue to provide the children of Wasgamuwa with saf
[image: 39215038 1557927873357500 r] <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22781.1.782c6c6b57911a2068c4f2ec1fd76eb9&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…>
“One hundred and twenty school children travel daily in the EleBus.” The SLWCS [image: EleBus Elephant 02]
The EleBus will continue to provide the children of Wasgamuwa with safe transport to school and home *Thanks* to the generous support of our friends, volunteers and corporate sponsors.
The impact the EleBus has had in creating peace and coexistence in the Tree Hut Elephant Corridor can be measured by the large number of elephants that use the corridor today…not only to travel through but also to feed and socialize. [image: IMG 6172] [image: 64430244 2752490961433679 2088112158993809408 n]
The EleBus recently underwent the following repairs, servicing and maintenance to ensure it would continue to provide a safe conveyance to the children of Wasgamuwa. ▪ Six new tires, tubes and rim guards ▪ Replaced the suspension tie rod set ▪ All the spring leaves were reshaped ▪ Replaced the Joint Knuckle Kin Pins ▪ Replaced all three Universal Joints ▪ The radiator was completely flushed, cleaned and filled with new coolant ▪ Full servicing and oils changed ▪ The Brake Drums refaced ▪ Broken side window replaced ▪ The license, comprehensive insurance, and permit to carry passengers renewed ▪ Passed the emission test ▪ Paid the annual Carbon Tax ▪ Six new tires, tubes and rim guards ▪ Replaced the suspension tie rod set ▪ All the spring leaves were reshaped ▪ Replaced the Joint Knuckle Kin Pins ▪ Replaced all three Universal Joints ▪ The radiator was completely flushed, cleaned and filled with new coolant ▪ Full servicing and oils changed ▪ The Brake Drums refaced ▪ Broken side window replaced ▪ The license, comprehensive insurance, and permit to carry passengers renewed ▪ Passed the emission test ▪ Paid the annual Carbon Tax [image: EleBus 01] [image: EleBus 02] [image: EleBus 03] [image: EleBus 06] [image: EleBus 05] [image: EleBus 07B] [image: EleBus 07] [image: EleBus 07A] [image: EleBus 07C]
Recently a reporter Nicole Graaf and a cameraman Emre Çayla from the German National Public Radio interviewed several children who travel daily in the EleBus. Following are several questions that were asked and the children’s responses.
1) How would you get to school if the bus wasn’t running?
Answer – We have to adapt the older system again till Ele-Friendly bus back to operation. In this way we use foot bicycles, land master tractors and Tuk Tuks to come to the school and back. All our parents and older people of the village guarding us at the elephant corridor with all these transport systems.
2) How often do you ride the bus?
Answer – Every day when we go to the school and come back to home, EleBus is waiting till we come every morning and afternoon.
3) Do you feel safer from elephants when riding the bus?
Answer – Yes of course it is safer than any other method what we use before and we enjoy EleBus ride to the school every day.
4) Do you think you would miss a lot more school if the bus wasn’t running?
Answer – Yes of course, this will happen to us now very often since the bus is not running, sometimes I feel very lethargic to go to school when bus is not come, sometimes our parents are busy in paddy fields so they can’t come with us to go to school, then we are so scared to go to school when no one is coming to guard us at elephant corridor. [image: EleBus Elephant 03]
Some of the 120 students who ride the EleBus daily
The SLWCS and the children and elephants of Wasgamuwa are sincerely grateful to everyone who contributed to keep the EleBus operating. We would like to say a warm and sincere thank you to our a long time Sri Lankan corporate sponsors Colombo Jewellery Stores <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22782.1.3894a649540954472c69439bfa155307&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…> and WealthTrust Securities Limited <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22783.1.ecfc5074894201488ff68868e2177d28&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…> and to all those friends,volunteers and supporters who donated through our online PayPal account and GoFundMe campaign to help in the maintenance, repairs and operations of the EleBus.
We still face challenges to operate the EleBus. We still need funds to cover the daily cost of fuel and staff to operate the EleBus. Please share our GoFundMe <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22784.1.ece6416352c513f416a175e056f45d00&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…

Thanks to the generous support of our friends, volunteers and donors the EleBus will Keep on Rolling creating peace and coexistence for People and Elephants

/0 Comments/in /by

“One hundred and twenty school children travel daily in the EleBus.” The SLWCS The EleBus will continue to provide the children of Wasgamuwa with saf
[image: 39215038 1557927873357500 r] <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22781.1.782c6c6b57911a2068c4f2ec1fd76eb9&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…>
“One hundred and twenty school children travel daily in the EleBus.” The SLWCS [image: EleBus Elephant 02]
The EleBus will continue to provide the children of Wasgamuwa with safe transport to school and home *Thanks* to the generous support of our friends, volunteers and corporate sponsors.
The impact the EleBus has had in creating peace and coexistence in the Tree Hut Elephant Corridor can be measured by the large number of elephants that use the corridor today…not only to travel through but also to feed and socialize. [image: IMG 6172] [image: 64430244 2752490961433679 2088112158993809408 n]
The EleBus recently underwent the following repairs, servicing and maintenance to ensure it would continue to provide a safe conveyance to the children of Wasgamuwa. ▪ Six new tires, tubes and rim guards ▪ Replaced the suspension tie rod set ▪ All the spring leaves were reshaped ▪ Replaced the Joint Knuckle Kin Pins ▪ Replaced all three Universal Joints ▪ The radiator was completely flushed, cleaned and filled with new coolant ▪ Full servicing and oils changed ▪ The Brake Drums refaced ▪ Broken side window replaced ▪ The license, comprehensive insurance, and permit to carry passengers renewed ▪ Passed the emission test ▪ Paid the annual Carbon Tax ▪ Six new tires, tubes and rim guards ▪ Replaced the suspension tie rod set ▪ All the spring leaves were reshaped ▪ Replaced the Joint Knuckle Kin Pins ▪ Replaced all three Universal Joints ▪ The radiator was completely flushed, cleaned and filled with new coolant ▪ Full servicing and oils changed ▪ The Brake Drums refaced ▪ Broken side window replaced ▪ The license, comprehensive insurance, and permit to carry passengers renewed ▪ Passed the emission test ▪ Paid the annual Carbon Tax [image: EleBus 01] [image: EleBus 02] [image: EleBus 03] [image: EleBus 06] [image: EleBus 05] [image: EleBus 07B] [image: EleBus 07] [image: EleBus 07A] [image: EleBus 07C]
Recently a reporter Nicole Graaf and a cameraman Emre Çayla from the German National Public Radio interviewed several children who travel daily in the EleBus. Following are several questions that were asked and the children’s responses.
1) How would you get to school if the bus wasn’t running?
Answer – We have to adapt the older system again till Ele-Friendly bus back to operation. In this way we use foot bicycles, land master tractors and Tuk Tuks to come to the school and back. All our parents and older people of the village guarding us at the elephant corridor with all these transport systems.
2) How often do you ride the bus?
Answer – Every day when we go to the school and come back to home, EleBus is waiting till we come every morning and afternoon.
3) Do you feel safer from elephants when riding the bus?
Answer – Yes of course it is safer than any other method what we use before and we enjoy EleBus ride to the school every day.
4) Do you think you would miss a lot more school if the bus wasn’t running?
Answer – Yes of course, this will happen to us now very often since the bus is not running, sometimes I feel very lethargic to go to school when bus is not come, sometimes our parents are busy in paddy fields so they can’t come with us to go to school, then we are so scared to go to school when no one is coming to guard us at elephant corridor. [image: EleBus Elephant 03]
Some of the 120 students who ride the EleBus daily
The SLWCS and the children and elephants of Wasgamuwa are sincerely grateful to everyone who contributed to keep the EleBus operating. We would like to say a warm and sincere thank you to our a long time Sri Lankan corporate sponsors Colombo Jewellery Stores <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22782.1.3894a649540954472c69439bfa155307&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…> and WealthTrust Securities Limited <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22783.1.ecfc5074894201488ff68868e2177d28&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…> and to all those friends,volunteers and supporters who donated through our online PayPal account and GoFundMe campaign to help in the maintenance, repairs and operations of the EleBus.
We still face challenges to operate the EleBus. We still need funds to cover the daily cost of fuel and staff to operate the EleBus. Please share our GoFundMe <urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sable.madmimi.com_c_6675-3Fid-3D388015.22784.1.ece6416352c513f416a175e056f45d00&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=pVO7_hWs2hfeTpg…> campaign (www.gofundme.com/help-to