APPENDIX I 



CLOSE SEASONS AND LICENCES THE SANCTUARIES 



THE close seasons for elk, spotted deer, and red deer, which con- 

 stitute " game " in Ceylon, are as follows : 



Northern Province 

 North Central Province 

 North-Western Province 

 Central Province . 

 Eastern Province . 

 Western Province . 

 Uva Province , 

 Sabaragamuwa Province 



ist May to 3oth September, 

 ist June to 3 ist October, 

 ist July to 3 ist October, 

 ist June to 3 ist October, 

 ist June to 3oth September, 

 ist June to 3 ist October, 

 ist June to 3 ist October, 

 ist July to 3 ist October. 

 Southern ) Igt June tQ 3Igt October< 



Leaving the breeding season entirely out of the question, there 

 is one, and only one, season in Ceylon when all animals are 

 practically at any man's mercy, and that is the dry season, which, 

 all over the low country, becomes oppressive about June or July, 

 and continues until the end of September. 



At the beginning of July water-holes are rapidly decreasing in 

 number by the natural process of evaporation, and by September 

 the available drinking pools are so few that animals come in numbers 

 to each one, day and night, during which they are ruthlessly 

 slaughtered by the natives, regardless of genus or sex. 



The close season throughout Ceylon is during the time of this 

 dry season, and would, if the Game Ordinance was properly en- 

 forced, afford proper protection to all " game " animals. However, 

 there is practically no attempt made to enforce the Ordinance, and 

 we are given " sops " in the shape of sanctuaries, while the rest of 

 the country is allowed to be shot out in the way which has obtained 

 for the past fifty years or more. For some years the open season of 

 the Northern Province extended from ist March to 3Oth September 

 a scandalous state of things, which thus permitted shooting throughout 

 the season of drought, and has resulted in almost depleting that 

 province of game. The close season has been altered to its proper 



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