The Hog Deer (Axis porcinus) is a critically endangered species in Sri Lanka, once believed to be extinct until rediscovered only a few decades ago. These deer naturally inhabit riverine marshes, but the rapid loss of such ecosystems has forced them to adapt to cinnamon plantations, rice fields, and croplands, bringing them into closer contact with humans and increasing the risks they face. Today, they are found only in the Galle district, between the Bentota and Gin rivers.

In 1993, the Lunuganga Trust, established by Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa to preserve his estate, partnered with the Galle Conservation Society (GCS) and the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) to introduce hog deer to Honduwa, a 28-acre estuarine island. While this provided a refuge, Honduwa has since suffered ecological degradation due to invasive alien species (IAS) and the pressures of a growing deer population.

To safeguard the species, the Lunuganga Trust has launched the project “A Fighting Chance for the Critically Endangered Hog Deer” in collaboration with PLANT. The initiative combines ecosystem restoration on Honduwa Island with the creation of a new habitat on nearby Appaladuwa Island. Over the next three years, the Trust will remove invasive species, reintroduce native plants, and carry out ecological restoration to create sustainable habitats where hog deer can thrive. The objectives of the project include:

1. Carrying out an ecological restoration programme focusing on the selective and strategic removal of between 750 to 1000 invasive trees and the planting of over 1875 saplings of native species. 
2. Conducting rapid biodiversity surveys on and around the island, including botanical and zoological surveys focusing on threatened or indicator taxa.
3. Fencing off Appaladuwa from the mainland, to make it a secure location which can house the hog deer and work towards increasing population numbers of the hog deer. 
4. Engaging members of the local community, generating direct income for people from the Dedduwa area who assist to carry out invasive removal and planting. 
5. Restoring both terrestrial and mangrove ecosystems in the Dedduwa lake 
6. Leveraging existing relationships between the project partners and local universities/ research groups to maintain scientific monitoring of ecological interventions.

This effort is proudly supported by LEF and co-funded by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, reflecting a shared commitment to biodiversity conservation and ecological stewardship in Sri Lanka.

Photo credits: Sakuna Gamage