Dr. Dulan Jayasekara

Qualifications:

Ph. D. in Zoology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.
M. Sc. in GIS and Remote Sensing
B. Sc. (Special) Degree in Zoology (First Class), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

Career Profile:

Senior Lecturer in Zoology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. (2025 onwards)
Lecturer in Zoology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. (2022-2024)
Lecturer (Temporary), Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. (2021)
Research Assistant, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. (2018-2021)
Temporary demonstrator, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. (2017)

Scholarships/Fellowships/Awards:

University Research Awards 2024 – USJ: Publication of more than 5 SCOPUS indexed journal papers in 2022 | SCOPUS indexed publications in 2021, 2022.
University Research Grant 2024 – “A multimodal approach integrating acoustic analysis, behavioral studies, and population estimation for innovative in-situ conservation of Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus)” – RC/URG/SCI/2024/30.Rufford small grants (2022-2023) – Conservation of Large and Medium Terrestrial Carnivores Within and Outside Kumana National Park
Rufford small grants (2019-2021) – Conservation of medium sized Carnivores in and around three protected areas in Sri Lanka
Scholarship to attend Student Conference on Conservation Science, Bangalore 2017
Scholarship to attend Student Conference on Conservation Science, Bangalore 2018
Best presenter of session – Wildlanka International Symposium 2017
Best presenter of session – Wildlanka International Symposium 2018

Professional Courses

Certificate Course in Teaching in Higher Education (CTHE) – USJ
Introduction to Biology: Evolution – Rice University 2024
Statistical Analysis Fundamentals using Excel – IBM 2024
Fundamentals of GIS: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization – University of California, Davis 2024
GIS Data Formats, Design and Quality: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization – University of California, Davis 2025
Using spatial data for biodiversity – by UNDP 2022
Introduction to Ecosystem Restoration – by UNDP 2022
Integrated Spatial Planning – by UNDP 2022
Introduction to Animal Behaviour – WageningenX, Wageningen University & Research.
Drones for Environmental Science – Duke University
Ecology: Ecosystem Dynamics and Conservation – American Museum of Natural History
Certificate course: Training on “Discovering new species using DNA sequences” Biotechnology section, Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), Sri Lanka, June 2021
Certificate level: Human Resource Management – Merit award at IPM (2014)

Administrative and other positions:

National/International level involvements:

Training program for Wildlife Rangers/range assistants by Department of Wildlife Conservation, Kanneliya, Sri Lanka 2025 – Resource Person.
Assess to Plan: Conservation Action Planning for the Snakes and Lizards of Sri Lanka. IUCN assessment of Sri Lankan reptiles 2019.
Conservation awareness program: Horton Plains National Park 2021.
Conservation awareness program: Maduru Oya National Park 2021.
Conservation awareness program: Lankagama National School, Lankagama, Sinharaja 2021.
Training program for Wildlife Rangers/range assistants by Department of Wildlife Conservation, Girithale, Sri Lanka 2018.
Academic contribution towards “Attempts to use Mongoose for explosive detection” by Sri Lanka Army, Engineers Brigade, Mattegoda, Sri Lanka 2020.

Research projects:

Diversity, Habitat Utilization and Population Density of Terrestrial Meso-mammals of the Order Carnivora in Three Protected Areas Representing Three Bioclimatic Zones of Sri Lanka
Ecology of Black-cheeked Lizard (Calotes nigrilabris) in Horton Plains National Park
Ecology of Rhino-horned lizard (Ceratophora stoddartii ) in Horton Plains National Park
Conservation of Large and Medium Terrestrial Carnivores Within and Outside Kumana National Park
Spatiotemporal habitat use of terrestrial and aquatic avifauna management implications in Kumana National Park

Research Supervision:

Supervision of undergraduate projects at the Department of Zoology

Diversity and spatiotemporal distribution of avifauna along the recreational roads of Kumana National Park (2024)
Diversity, occupancy and population density of terrestrial mammals in the recreational areas of Kumana National Park (2024)
Assessing the distribution and habitat preference of Chevrotains (Family: Tragulidae) in Sri Lanka using habitat modeling (2024-2025).

Supervision of postgraduate projects

Comparative assessment of diversity, distribution, and habitat utilization of shorebirds within selected locations in the Northern and Southern arid zones in Sri Lanka – (Co-supervision of MPhil degree research 2022-2024 – Gold Medal for “Excellence in
Research”).
Habitat utilization and Phylogeography of Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper, Peltopelor trigonocephalus (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) in three climatic zones of Sri Lanka (Co-supervision of PhD degree research 2021-2024).
Development of a strategic plan for the application of Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) for Kala Oya basin within the Puttalam District, Sri Lanka – (Co-supervision of PhD degree research 2023-date).
Spatiotemporal Distribution, Habitat Use of Crocodiles in and Outside the Southern Region of Wilpattu National Park – (Co-supervision of MPhil degree research 2024-date).
A Study of the Acoustic, Behavioral, and Spatiotemporal Habitat Utilization Patterns of the Elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) in Sri Lanka: A Case Study of the Wilpattu National Park – (Co-supervision of MPhil degree research 2024-date).

Research publications:

(Last updated- 14th October, 2025)