GUIDELINES AND CONDITIONS FOR FILMING WITHIN WILDLIFE PROTECTED AREAS

Filming within any Wildlife Protected Area (WPA) including National Reserves and Sanctuaries, by any individual or organization, needs prior permission from the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation. (DWC). This regulation applies only for filming on Environmental & Wildlife related awareness and the production of documentaries and has no implication on still photography by casual visitors to the National Parks. Purpose of regulating this kind of activities within WPAs is to minimize the disturbance caused to the wildlife, therein.

Applications for filming within WPAs, should be directed to the Research & Training Division of DWC, at least two weeks before the intended date of commencing the filming. Ample time should be given to process the applications and inform the relevant WPA field authorities.

Application should be submitted in the prescribed format, which is available available to download from download section.

Conditions for filming within WPAs.

1. Permit holder and all others accompanied with him should pay the relevant entry fee and obtain a entry permit for the WPA, for the duration of stay therein, in addition to the filming permit.

2. Permit holder should provide the names, NIC numbers, addresses and other relevant information of all members of the filming group accompany him.

3. Permit holder and all others accompany with him should strictly adhered to the rules & regulations of Fauna & Flora Protection Ordinance (FFPO) and those of the respective WPA, during their stay therein.

4. The filming group should always accompany a Wildlife Officer, detailed for the purpose, by DWC and obey to his instructions.

5. Building of any permanent or temporary structure to be used for the purpose of filming is strictly prohibited, unless it is permitted by the Director General of DWC.

6. Any sound, flash light or any other artificial light which may disturb the wildlife, should not be used for filming within the WPA.

7. The person who uses the camera can be permitted to alight from the vehicle while filming, under the supervision of the wildlife officer accompanying.

8. A copy of the final version of the film produced, should be handed over to DWC, to be reviewed and used for educational and publicity activities of the department.

9. Under any circumstances, DWC or any employee of DWC does not hold the responsibility for any loss or damage to any property, any physical damage or loss of life of the permit holder or any other member of the group, while within the WPA.

10. Permit holder should take every precaution to prevent any defamation of damage to the image of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan government or DWC may cause by the film or its contents, produced by him, internationally or locally.

11. Permit holder should agree to accept any revision to the contents of the final product of the film, suggested by DWC, with the intension of fulfilling the requirement described in the paragraph above.

12. DWC should be appropriately acknowledged in the final product of the film.

13. Final version of the film should be produced to the Director General of DWC for approval, before the telecast of be given any publicity.

14. Permits issued are valid only for the duration specified therein and if any extension of the validity is necessary, it should be notified to the Director General of DWC in advance, for approval.

15. Director General of DWC reserves the right of repealing the permits issued by him, at any stage before the expiration of the permit, at the violation of any of the above conditions, by the permit holder or any member of the group.

Park Regulations

1. Permit holder and all others accompanied with him shall be jointly responsible for the due observance of the FFPO, the regulations made there under and other conditions.

2. Permit holder and the group shall not remain within the WPA, before the sun rise or after the sun set, unless any camp site or the circuit bungalow is reserved for them. If so, they should remain at the campsite or in the circuit bungalow, during the said time.

3. Permit holder or any member of the group shall not have any gun or any other appliance specified as a fire arm, in the Fire Arms Ordinance, in his possession, during the same time.

4. Permit holder and the others in the group should refrain from all activities, which may disturb the fauna and flora therein.

5. Permit holder and all others in the group should obey any directions given to them by any officer of DWC, as may be considered necessary or desirable by that officer for the safety or the interests of the fauna.

6. Permit holder should produce the permit whenever called upon to do so, by any officer of DWC.

7. In the event of his permit being revoked under the section 56 of FFPO and the permit holder being informed of such revocation, they shall return the permit to the officer issued it and shall not remain within the WPA any longer.

Director of Wildlife Conservation