NOW SEEKING ADVENTURERS, CORPORATE SPONSORS, RESEARCHERS—AND YOU!
Welcome to EPIC
We started as a child's vision in a small house in a little village.
We spread from heart to heart across states and across nations.
We became a non-profit with a defining voice
dedicated to the people & biggest "beasts" on the planet.
Ashoka D G Ranjeewa
Good day to you all, wherever in the world you are. Whether you're on my home isle of Sri Lanka, currently in America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, or some other isle, I am happy to welcome you here to EPIC, my life's work—and the life's work of so many others who came before me, and continue to work alongside me. I have a powerful story to tell. And I hope that you come read it along with me.
EPIC Founding Director
A Note From...
Our mission
Our mission is to foster peaceful coexistence between people and elephants through community-led conservation, scientific research, and sustainable livelihood development.
Our vision
Our vision is a world where people and elephants thrive together through community partnership, scientific knowledge, and global collaboration.
Our team
Our team is a dedicated group of researchers, conservationists, and community leaders united by a shared mission: to create harmony between people and elephants. With expertise ranging from field research and data analysis to community outreach and education, we work together to drive meaningful, lasting change. Meet the people behind EPIC—individuals committed to protecting wildlife, empowering communities, and shaping a more sustainable future.
Dr Chandrachapa Gamage - Director & Treasurer
A dedicated medical doctor with a lifelong passion for nature, Chapa finds refuge from her high-stress work by immersing herself in the wild. An avid traveller and birdwatcher, she spends her free time in the field—actively collecting research data and supporting fundraising to sustain elephant conservation projects and community initiatives. Chapa believes that conservation is all about people. Supporting local villages living alongside elephants is the ultimate key to mitigating the HEC and fostering true coexistence. Believing that complex problems like HEC require diverse professions joining hands, she invites everyone to share their knowledge and passion in their free time for meaningful initiatives, as we all have a role to play in protecting our shared planet.
Dinusha Kumari - Director & Admin
Born and bred in the elephant-dominated landscape of Udawalawe, Dinusha has a deep, lifelong connection to the challenges of the region. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and postgraduate qualifications in Human Resource Management and supply chain management, she channels her expertise into understanding the complex human dimensions of the HEC. Dinusha focuses on developing community-driven, sustainable projects designed to foster peaceful coexistence. Recognising that economic stability drives tolerance, she is passionate about securing premium markets for the alternative crops grown by villagers in HEC areas. By branding these local products and boosting community incomes, Dinusha aims to create a sustainable economic model where both local livelihoods and wildlife can thrive together.
Meet our scintists
Dr Ashoka D. G. Ranjeewa
Born and bred in a human-dominated landscape, Ashoka brings a profound, personal understanding to wildlife conservation. With over 20 years of field experience studying Asian elephants, he is a dedicated field biologist whose research spans population demography, elephant behaviour, crop raiding, and the human dimensions of conflict. His career bridges deep-field grit and academic rigour, including service as a Lecturer in Biosciences at the University of Gloucestershire in the UK. Today, Ashoka leverages his extensive data to develop science-backed, holistic solutions that protect both endangered elephants and the local communities living alongside them.
Dr Nadhee Peries
Nadhee is a dedicated medical educator based at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka. Bridging health sciences with conservation, her vital research explores the socio-economic and psychological dimensions of communities living within Sri Lanka’s Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) zones. Nadhee focuses deeply on improving the social, mental, and educational well-being of families residing in villages bordering protected areas. By combining clinical insight with community-centric pedagogy, her holistic work addresses the often-overlooked human trauma of environmental conflict, helping foster a resilient, supportive environment for both people and wildlife to thrive.
Dr Rob Thomas
Rob is an accomplished ecologist and conservation scientist affiliated with Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences. His extensive research focuses on the profound effects of environmental and anthropogenic change on the behaviour, survival, and ecology of wild animals. A dedicated ornithologist and field researcher, Rob specialises in climate change biology, avian behavioural ecology, and the impacts of human activities on wildlife populations. By pairing thorough data analysis with active conservation initiatives, his work delivers critical, science-backed insights that help safeguard vulnerable species and shape effective ecosystem management strategies globally.
Ajith Sandanayake
A science graduate with a Master’s in Biodiversity Conservation and Management, Ajith lives in a village bordering Udawalawe National Park. He channels his scientific expertise directly into the field, focusing on practical, ground-level innovations to mitigate the HEC.
Ajith actively spearheads the cultivation of elephant-non-palatable crops, drives sustainable eco-tourism initiatives, and implements private electric fencing to protect livelihoods. By blending his advanced scientific training with deep grassroots experience, he is dedicated to transforming HEC zones into resilient landscapes of peaceful coexistence.
Dumindra Ridmi - Content creator
Holding a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts specialising in Mass Communication from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, Ridmi is a dynamic young professional who believes in the transformative power of visual storytelling. As a local youth advocate, she champions the philosophy that visual media can deeply connect people to nature, bringing elephants and wildlife into the hearts of local communities to foster genuine coexistence. Leveraging her exceptional skills in camera work and scriptwriting, Ridmi crafts impactful narratives aimed at mitigating HEC and driving modern elephant conservation forward.
Buddhika Priyadarshana
Holding a degree in management, Buddhika Priyadarshana is a dynamic local youth from a village bordering Udawalawe National Park. Deeply attuned to the realities of his community, Buddhika is passionate about leveraging sustainable tourism to mitigate the Human-Elephant Conflict. He focuses on developing innovative, alternative income streams for his agriculture-dependent fellow villagers, aiming to reduce economic vulnerability and foster elephant tolerance. By bridging business acumen with grassroots conservation, Buddhika is dedicated to transforming local livelihoods and creating an economic framework where communities and wildlife can harmoniously coexist.
Other Directors
This could be you: Your Talent. Their Future.
Elephant conservation needs more than just scientists. It needs your creativity, your voice, and your skills. Whatever your passion, help us build a better future for people and elephants.
Come join our diverse team today!
