At 86, Sri Lanka’s ‘father of herpetology’ inspires a new conservation generation

Anslem de Silva, credited as the father of modern Sri Lankan herpetology, is preparing to host the first World Congress on Snakes in Kandy this October after more than six decades studying the island's reptiles and amphibians. He has authored over 350 scientific papers and 25 books, launched the country's first herpetological journal, and founded the Amphibia and Reptile Research Organization of Sri Lanka in 1990.

De Silva, born in 1940, traces his interest to childhood, when he rescued a rat snake from mistreatment by other students; he later won the national Best Magician title in 1965 before turning fully to science. He says that background helped him communicate conservation to the public, noting that of Sri Lanka's more than 100 snake species, only about five can cause fatal bites.

Former students describe his mentorship as foundational to the field regionally, and the IUCN recognized his contributions with its Sir Peter Scott Award of Conservation Merit in 2019. De Silva says his greatest legacy is not the species he documented but the generation of researchers he trained.

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