Say hello to our naturalist, Sampath Gunasinghe!

He discovered his love and fondness for all things great and small when he was a young schoolboy in the coastal town of Galle. He pursued his love for nature and wildlife by joining the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle and then went on to join Cinnamon Nature Trails as a Naturalist.

He is no stranger to promoting the natural beauty Sri Lanka has to offer and has handled ground operations for 12 wildlife documentaries with reputed media outlets such as BBC Natural History, Animal Planet, Ammonite UK, and National Television of Japan (NHK).

What’s so special and unique about the Mangroves, you ask? Sampath says it’s the unique vegetation, root system, species adaptation and limited diversity it has to offer the delicate Sri Lankan eco-system. He encourages people to experience the “mangrove cave” through which one can pass through in a boat to see the abundant, green mangroves all around.

If you’re lucky you can perhaps spot different types of rare birds such as the bright yellow Oriole, the rare Green Pigeon, and striking blue Kingfisher when enjoying the picturesque boat ride on the calm, cool Madu Ganga. In addition to being a marginal ecosystem, the mangrove is unique, as an ecosystem, it has interactions with other ecosystems, both adjoining and remote in species - It’s all about teamwork and communication, even in nature!

As a naturalist, Sampath is in awe that he can enjoy his professional life with remarkable creatures ranging from tiny insects to the largest terrestrial (the elephant) and largest marine mammal ever lived on this planet (Blue Whale).

Next time you’re taking a scenic boat ride when you visit Cinnamon Bentota Beach, don’t forget to keep an eye out for the stealthy water monitor or “Kabaragoya”