Prof. Priyan Perera

 

Prof. Priyan Perera
Professor and Head of the Department
B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. (Env. Science), M.Sc. (Forestry), Ph.D. (Louisiana State, USA)
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science,
University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

Phone: Office: 112-758411     Mobile: 071-8656457  
Email: priyan(at)sjp.ac.lk  

Honorary Research Fellow in Environmental and Conservation Sciences
College of Science in the Health, Engineering and Education
Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia
Priyan.Perera@murdoch.edu.au

Research interest : Recreation Ecology, Ecotourism, Biodiversity, Wildlife, Sustainability Certification and Forest Certification.

CV:

Educational Qualifications

• PhD, Forestry (2011), School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
• MSc, Environmental Sciences (2009), School of Coast & Environment, Department of Environmental Science, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
• MSc, Forestry (2008), School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
• BSc, Forestry and Environmental Science [Special], (2003), Department of Forestry & Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

Academic Appointments & Positions

• Honorary Research Fellow, College of Science in the Health, Engineering and Education, in the discipline of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia (2020 onward)
• Commission Member – IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Pangolin Specialist Group (2017 onward)
• Director, University Business Linkage Cell, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (2018 April to present)
• Director, Center For sustainability (CFS), Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (2013 to present)

 

Areas of Specialty & Research Interests:

• Ecotourism, Recreation Ecology and Sustainable tourism
• Wildlife conservation and Management
• Protected area management and wildlife tourism in protected areas
• Sustainability Certification, Forest Certification and sustainable forestry
• Environmental Management and Environmental Impact Assessment

 

Publications

Recent Journal Publications

• Perera, P., & Karawita, H. (2020). An update of distribution, habitats and conservation status of the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Sri Lanka. Global Ecology and Conservation, 21, e00799.
• Karawita, H, Perera, P., Dayawansa, N & Dias, S. (2020). Dietary composition and foraging habitats of the Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in a tropical lowland forest-associated landscape in Southwest Sri Lanka. Global Ecology and Conservation.
• Karawita, H., & Perera, P. (2020). Dataset of distribution, habitats and conservation status of the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Sri Lanka. Data in brief, 28, 104999.
• Marasinghe, S., Simpson, G., Newsome, D., & Perera, P. (2020). Scoping recreational disturbance of shorebirds to inform the agenda for research and management in Tropical Asia. Tropical Life Sciences Research, Early-View.
• Prakash, S. L., Perera, P., Newsome, D., Kusuminda, T., & Walker, O. (2019). Reasons for visitor dissatisfaction with wildlife tourism experiences at highly visited national parks in Sri Lanka. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.
• Karawita, K. V. D. H. R., Perera, P. K. P., Pabasara, M. G. T and Dayawansa, N.P. (2018). Habitat preference and den characterization of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in a tropical lowland forested landscape of South-west Sri Lanka Plos One.
• Marasinghe, S. S., Perera, P. K. P., & Dayawansa, P. N. (2018). Putrescible Waste Landfills as Bird Habitats in Urban Cities: A case from an Urban Landfill in the Colombo District of Sri Lanka. Journal of Tropical Forestry and Environment, 8(2).
• Perera, P. K. P., Karawita, K. V. D. H. R., & Pabasara, M. G. T. (2017). Pangolins (Manis crassicaudata) in Sri Lanka: A Review of Current Knowledge, Threats and Research Priorities. Journal of Tropical Forestry and Environment, Vol 7(1), 1-14.
• Sumanapala, H.D.P., Kotagama, W.S., Perera, P.K.P., Galahitiyawe, N.W.K., and Silva, D.S.C. (2017). Comparison of characteristics of Asian and non-Asian tourists visiting eco-lodges in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences, Vol 40 (2).
• Prakash, S.L., Perera, P.K.P., Perera, C., & Fernando, P. (2017). Visitor discontent at five ex-situ elephant conservation establishments in Asia. Gajah: Journal of the IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group, Vol. 47, 24-29.
• Perera, PKP, Wijesinghe, SR, Dayawansa NP and Marasinghe SS (2017). Response of tropical birds to habitat modifications in fragmented forest patches: A case from a tropical lowland rainforest in south-west Sri Lanka. Community Ecology 18(2): 175-183.
• Perera, P., & Vlosky, R. P. (2017). Understanding Ecotourist Behavior: The Case of Forest-based Ecotourism in Sri Lanka. e-Review of Tourism Research, 14(5/6)
• Alwis, N.S., Perera, P.K.P. and Dayawansa, N.P. Response of tropical avifauna to visitor recreational disturbances: a case study from the Sinharaja World Heritage Forest, Sri Lanka. Avian Research 7.1 (2016): 15. DOI 10.1186/s40657-016-0050-5
• Jayawardhane, J. K. P. C., Perera, P. K. P., Lokupitiya, R. S., Amarasekara, H. S., & Ruwanpathirana, N. (2016). The effect of quality attributes in determination of price for plantation-grown Teak (Tectona grandis) logs in Sri Lanka. Annals of Forest Research, Vol 59 (1), 1-12.
• PKP Perera, MC Senevirathna, RP Vlosky (2015). Recreationist perspectives, attitudes, and perceptions towards national park management in Sri Lanka. Tourism 63 (4), 497-514.
• Perera, P.K.P. and N. Lam (2013). An Environmental Justice Assessment of the Mississippi River industrial Corridor in Louisiana, U.S. using a GIS-based Approach. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, Vol.11 (4): 681-697.
• Perera, Priyan, Richard Vlosky and Sampath Wahala (2012). Motivational and Behavioral Profiling of Visitors to Forest-based Attractions in Sri Lanka. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research. Vol 17, Number 4, 451-467.

Book Chapters

• Tariq Mahmood, Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra, Priyan Perera, Nausheen Irshad, Faraz Akrim, Shaista Andleeb, Muhammad Waseem, Sandhya Sharma and Sudarsan Panda (2019) Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata (Geoffroy, 1803) in Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation’ eds Dan Challander, Helen Nash and Carly Waterman. Academic Press, Elsevier.

Research Grants

• Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) for Sri Jayewardenepura: Restoration and Sustainable Management of Madinnagoda Wetland Ecosystem, Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte, Sri Lanka. UNDP GEF Small Grants (USD 50,000.00)
• Study of behavior in captivity and dietary ecology of Indian Pangolin (Manis Crassicaudata) in a tropical lowland forest habitat in southwest Sri Lanka. University Research Grant ASP/01/RE/SCI/2017/14 (Amount Rs. 495,000.00)
• Ecotourism in Coastal Wetlands: Meeting the Dual Mandates of Recreation and Conservation. National Research Council Grant 16:128 (2016) (Amount Rs. 2,330,000.00)
• Investigation of the Behaviour and Ecology of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata in a Tropical Lowland Forest Habitat in South West Sri Lanka. University Research Grant ASP/SCI/2015/07 (Amount Rs. 1,760,000.00)
• Estimating the Distribution and Abundance of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata in a Tropical Lowland Forest Habitat in South West Sri Lanka. Small Grant Program of the Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy. (Amount Rs. 290,000.00)

Ongoing Projects

• Behavior, Ecology and Conservation of Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata in Sri Lanka
• Ecotourism in coastal wetlands of Sri Lanka: Assessing the recreational disturbance on coastal avifauna and Understanding visitor perspectives