Wildlife conservation

Every year a large number of wild animals including birds are hunted and killed by man either for food and raw material or for sport. Many species of animal such as the blue whales, rhinos, polar bears,dolphins,turtles, monkeys and many varieties of birds are facing the danger of extinction.Wild animals such as the tiger,lion and elephant are also decreasing in numbers .

These animals are reducing in numbers because on one hand they are being killed by man and on the other, the forests they live in are being cleared for agriculture and development projects. Most animals are struggling to survive as their natural habitats are slowly disappearing, and they have no space to breed and roam about.

The use of insecticides and pollution too have an impact on animal life.Animals on land and the sea are affected when water bodies in the forests are being polluted. When oil spills occur the sea water is polluted and many marine animals die. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is an international organisation that helps to protect wildlife and conserve areas of land and sea which have an abundance of different species of animals.

Sri Lanka is a country which is rich in wildlife even though it is a small island. The Government has established many wildlife sanctuaries in the country such as Yala and Wilpattu to protect the diverse species of animals found in the country.

There is also an elephant orphanage at Pinnawela,an elephant transit home at Uda Walawe and a bird sanctuary at Kumana .Wild animals are an important part of the environment and every country should take steps to conserve and protect wildlife by providing necessary facilities.

Mangsari Jikka, Grade 8A, English Medium,Thanendra Ladies' College, Kalmunai.

An umbrella...

I am an ancient object
Used mostly by the rich
Maybe your grandfather also used me
But the poor used only plantain leaves
In those days I was really proud
But then the British came
And sent me from country to country
It was a good trip
But I did not like the change
After many centuries
I was made in many companies
I was in almost every house
I had a host of relatives
Everyday I bathe in the rain
And dry out when the sun comes out
I have a colourful and curved body
A very long leg and many arms
When I am old people throw me away
And then they buy another new one
I guess it's the fate of my kind

S.G.H Shashini Hanshani, Grade 6B, Negombo South International School, Nittambuwa.

My favourite cricketer

My favourite cricketer is Kumar Sangakkara. He was the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is the wicket keeper of the team. Sangakkara is a good left- hand batsman. He has scored many half centuries and centuries at international matches. Sangakkara's favourite shot is cover drive .

During the last World Cup matches he captained the national cricket team. Sangakkara and the other players performed well at the finals . However, our team did not win the World Cup.

I like his head gear a lot. He is a great player and I like him very much. My ambition is to become a cricketer.

Nadun Atugala, Grade 7, Wayamba Royal College, Kurunegala.

Buildings serve different purposes

People have been constructing buildings of various shapes and sizes for a long time. They serve different purposes. Buildings are constructed to serve as houses, offices, sports and industrial complexes , stadiums and various other entertainment and marketing outlets .

There are many buildings constructed as houses because we need houses to live in and keep us warm .

Many people work together to construct a building. An architect decides how the building is going to look either on his own or according to the ideas of the person for whom the building is being constructed. Drawings of the design for the building are made available to the engineers.

It is they decide how to build it as a strong and safe structure. Then the rest of the workers build it according to the plan. Many of the modern day constructions are beautiful and the Sydney Opera House is one such construction which is grand in appearance. It is a famous place with a unique rooftop. Even the Olympic Stadium in Munich has a unusual roof and is a great structure. There are many buildings which are interesting to look at even in Sri Lanka.

W. Sachini Anuruddika, Grade 9 D, Girls' College, Dankotuwa.

Philately is my hobby

What is a hobby? A hobby is a leisure activity, the pursuit of which offers enjoyment,education and companionship with others who have similar interest.It is a great form of relaxation and very often a source of monetary gain too. Philately is the term used to describe stamp collecting.

A person who collects stamps is called a philatelist. Stamp collecting has been called the hobby of kings. We can learn many things through this hobby such as culture, religion fauna and flora and great events and personalities of various countries. Stamps are instructive, educational and also profitable. My hobby is collecting stamps.I started collecting stamps five years ago. Now, I have about 300 local and foreign stamps in my collection. My grandmother and mother help me in this hobby. My grandmother gives me the local stamps while my mother buys me the foreign ones.

My aunt in Cananda too sends me some stamps. When I get more than one stamp of each kind, I exchange it for a new one with my friends who also collect stamps. I have two stamp albums in which I have pasted all the stamps. There are stamps of different shapes, sizes and colours produced by different countries. Some stamps are square and others are rectangular or triangular. Most of these stamps are very attractive.

W.G.Avindi Buthmini Premaratne, Brilliant Stars International College, Matara.

Knowledge is power

"Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave," is a popular saying. Great people of the world have always stressed the importance of all human beings receiving an education.

We cannot succeed in life without an education. Those who do not educate themselves will end up as fools when compared to others who are well educated. In a competitive world like today no one can obtain employment without education. So, no one can afford to stay without being educated. All parents must ensure that their children are educated.

Education is a basic right of a child.Taking this into account. the Government of Sri Lanka provides free education to all the children in the country irrespective of their ethnicity. The Government spends billion of rupees on education. This is done with the objective of making the people of this land educated and responsible citizens.

Children are the future of the country and it is the duty of all parents to give their children a sound education. They must be taught from a very tender age the importance of becoming useful citizens . Let us resolve to acquire the best of knowledge, keeping in mind that knowledge is power.

Fathima Safra, Grade 9 E, Al-Fahriya Central College.