Naturalist
Rukmal Ratnayake is a nature enthusiast who loves nature since childhood. He holds a degree in Biological Science from the University of Colombo and is currently a nature conservationist through his own company, Nature Lover Rukmal (BR # 01/8844).
Rukmal has extensive experience in wildlife documentary filmmaking, nature education programs, wildlife observation tours, environmental impact assessment studies, biodiversity baseline surveys, wildlife art, natural history art, and wildlife photography. He has also studied photography at Hegoda School of Photography.
One of Rukmal’s main services is conducting nature education programs for children and the public, which includes indoor lectures and field sessions. These programs cover topics such as Sri Lanka’s biodiversity, identification, behavior, and ecology of Sri Lankan fauna, human-wildlife co-existence, and rescuing and rehabilitating disabled and orphaned wild animals.
Rukmal also produces educational wildlife documentary films, which he has several 2-minute and 20-minute documentaries on local biodiversity and human-wildlife co-existence.
In addition, Rukmal has worked as a fauna specialist in ecological surveys and has contributed to research projects related to nature as a research assistant. He also offers wildlife photography and wildlife art services. Furthermore, he volunteers to rescue and rehabilitate disabled and orphaned wild animals, a service he has been passionate about since childhood.
Rukmal has held several leadership positions in wildlife conservation organizations, including serving as the former president of the Butterfly Conservation Society of Sri Lanka, a former committee member of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL), a member of the FOGSL bird ringing team, and a past member of the Young Zoologists Association of Sri Lanka.
He has won island-level awards for wildlife art and represented Sri Lanka at the SAARC Artist camp in 2013.
Additionally, he served as the president of the Science Faculty’s Photography Circle of the University of Colombo in 2014, conducting educational programs on photography for undergraduates.
Rukmal was also a member of the swimming team of the University of Colombo in 2012 and practiced Shotokan Karate at Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala.