A special educational programme aimed at raising awareness among young people about the conservation of wild cat species and leopards in Sri Lanka was held at Pinnawala Zoo on August 17, 2026, to mark World Cat Day.
As part of the programme, three tiger cubs recently born at the zoo were introduced to the public for the first time.
Members of the public from across the country were invited to suggest names for the cubs, with nearly 500 submissions received.
Following a selection process by a special committee, the cubs were named Theo, Kylo and Heela.
The three individuals whose names were selected — Sakura Wickramasinghe from Kelaniya, Bathiya Ratnayake from Kandy and Nusair from Orugodawatte — were presented with prizes.
A special lecture on Sri Lanka’s small wild cat species was also delivered by Professor Nihal Dayawansa of the University of Colombo.
Students from Sujatha Vidyalaya in Rambukkana, members of the Wildlife Exploration Team of Pinnawala National School, members of the Young Zoologists Association of the National Zoological Parks Department and zoo staff participated in the programme.
