Wildlife photographer Lakshitha Karunarathna has once again brought pride to Sri Lanka by being awarded at the world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY) competition, organized by the Natural History Museum, London.
This marks his second recognition at what is often described as the ‘Oscars of Wildlife Photography’, making him the first Sri Lankan to be awarded multiple times in the competition’s 61-year history.
The WPY, which began in 1965, this year received a record-breaking 60,636 entries from over 120 countries, with only 100 images selected as winners.
Lakshitha’s awarded image, titled ‘Toxic Tip’, was captured in Sri Lanka’s Ampara District, where he has been documenting for nearly three years the devastating impacts of human-elephant conflict and erratic waste disposal practices.
The photograph portrays a lone elephant scavenging at a vast waste dump — a haunting reflection of how polythene, plastic, and microplastic ingestion increasingly threatens Sri Lanka’s elephants.
Scientific studies show that ingestion of such waste can cause severe digestive blockages, poisoning, and shortened lifespans in elephants. Sri Lanka already faces one of the highest levels of Human Elephant Conflict (HEC) in Asia, with nearly 400 elephants and 100 humans killed annually due to habitat encroachment, rapid agricultural expansion, deforestation, unplanned development, competition for food and water, and poor waste management
Speaking on the recognition, Lakshitha said: “This award is not just for me. It is a reminder of the urgent need to address how our waste and lifestyles affect wildlife. As Sri Lankans, elephants are part of our cultural identity, and protecting them is protecting our heritage.”
Lakshitha has emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s most acclaimed wildlife photographers.
He has been internationally recognized with multiple awards and his works have been published across leading global media platforms.
The 61st WPY Award Ceremony will be held on 13 October 2025 at the Natural History Museum in London.
Lakshitha’s ‘Toxic Tip’ was one of only 15 photographs featured in the initial global media release, published by thousands of mainstream outlets worldwide.
