All you need is a pair of flip flops. Settling into my work I also underwent a process of recognizing what is essential and what is really important. I cannot even remember how much money I spent on equipment at the beginning. Sun and mosquito repellent, clothing, functional wear, three different pairs of shoes for all kinds of different terrains, a little gadget for this, a little gadget for that etc. I was properly caught in the idea that you have to be prepared for everything and I needed all these things to survive and work. Over the years my luggage shrank down to a single 30 litre backpack able to carry everything I really need. There is no need to be equipped like a special forces agent, actually most of the people I work with wear a shirt, sarong, and flip flops and they are doing very well in this environment.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Katharina Raaben.
In her role at Uga Ulagalla, which is set within a 58-acre estate near the ancient city of Anuradhapura, in Sri Lanka’s famous cultural triangle, she is responsible for overseeing the resort’s conservation efforts, observing and monitoring the local wildlife and educating guests and the team on the importance of protecting these native species and their habitat.
In 2020, she set up the award-winning Elephant Research Centre (ERC) at Uga Ulagalla. Established in an effort to conserve the elephant population in Sri Lanka while also helping to resolve the human elephant conflict abundant in and around the Anuradhapura area, the centre is run by a well-trained team of individuals led by Katharina as Sustainability Coordinator, in-house guides and members of the local community. Guests of the resort can visit the centre to learn about Sri Lankan elephants and the research work of the ERC.
Prior to her Sri Lankan move and joining the Uga family, Katharina worked in South Africa as a Safari Guide for Return Africa, completing just shy of 500 hours of on-foot guiding within dangerous game areas of Kruger National Park. During this time, she achieved a number of guiding and wildlife qualifications, including certifications in tracking and signing, firearm rifle proficiency, wilderness first aid, birding, trail guiding and more.
Images of Katharina and the Elephant Research Centre at Uga Ulagalla here
Serving as a sumptuous base from which to explore Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, Uga Ulagalla can arrange an array of adventures for guests. From witnessing one of the largest elephant gatherings in the world at Minneriya National Park and leopard and sloth-spotting at Wilpattu National Park to excursions to Sigiriya rock fortress, discovery wildlife drives and the ancient monastery at Ritigala, there are endless opportunities for adventure. Back at the resort, guests can indulge in nature walks, enjoy horse-riding, kayaking and archery, or partake in a Sri Lankan cooking class, while little ones will adore the opportunity to participate in the junior ranger programme.
In 2020, Uga opened its first Elephant Research Centre at Uga Ulagalla. Established in an effort to conserve the elephant population in Sri Lanka while also helping to resolve the human elephant conflict in and around the Anuradhapura area.
Nightly rates at Uga Ulagalla start from $481 (£377*), based on two adults sharing an Ulagalla Pool Villa on a bed and breakfast basis. For more information or to book, visit https://www.ugaescapes.com/ulagalla/
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
It is a story I have shared a few times and I’m glad to share it again as it shows that it is never too late to make a change and follow your dreams.
I grew up and spent the first 29 years of my life in Germany. As a kid I was fascinated by wildlife and most of my wildlife experience and knowledge I gained through the TV (internet was not an option at that time ☺). Heinz Sielmann’s documentaries, for me the German David Attenborough, have been my favourite and I watched them over and over again. I had big plans to work in wildlife and save animals. But living in Germany I didn’t really know how to make it become a reality and make a living out of it. I went into the corporate world and worked as a buyer for a German retail company. At some point climbing up the career ladder, I was able to afford to travel to countries I saw in the documentaries and started exploring. It didn’t take me long to realise that I felt very uncomfortable in my well organized, all-inclusive travel packages. I wanted to get involved, rather than just being shown things from the outside. The game changer was a visit to the Galapagos Islands (a dream come true) in which I decided this was my last pre-booked and organized experience. My next trip led me to South Africa as a volunteer. No luxury, no special treatment, but it was an unbelievable experience. From that trip onwards I spent all my holidays volunteering. It was so rewarding.
I was sitting in a plane from Richards Bay to JoBurg after my time volunteering in Zululand (wild dogs and rhino conservation). I was crying like a child because I didn’t want to leave this place. I swapped flights in JoBurg and sat down on my flight to Dusseldorf. Still, I couldn’t hold back my tears — I didn’t want to go back to my old life. I felt quite sorry for the stewardess as she thought my boyfriend broke up with me or something. I decided to behave like an adult and pulled myself together before my father met me at the airport to pick me up. I managed, I arrived and I saw my father — no tears. He asked me about my time in Africa and here we go again. I burst into tears. I simply didn’t want to go back home, to my old life. It took me another trip to South Africa (booked within a week after I returned) before I made a final decision. I went and I came back — this time no tears. The decision was made.
I resigned from my well-paid job, gave up my flat and went to South Africa for a year. I never returned to Germany and the year is still ongoing. I met my husband in South Africa and it led me to Sri Lanka which I have now called home for six years.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Maybe the most interesting story is that I am right now sitting for this interview. I joined Uga Ulagalla in November 2020 at the peak of COVID-19 mainly to set up and lead a guiding team to enhance the guest experiences and that’s also the same time in which we discovered the first elephants around the property. The world came to a standstill and together with my team we started to explore and document what was happening in and around Ulagalla. Not as researchers — I would say out of curiosity. That we stumbled on the elephants and started to do research was never planned. It seemed to me a coincidence, for me that was one of the best findings I could have imagined. We have elephants!! But saying we found the elephants is also not right and also is not a blessing for everyone. The elephants have been around for years and years and no one ever really paid attention to them, except to call them problem elephants. No one knew much about them. But it was very clear from the beginning that the Human Elephant Conflict is real and we have a serious issue in this area. Now nearly four years later our Elephant Research Centre (ERC) in July 2024 just celebrated our second anniversary.
We have been working with Dr Prithiviraj (Centre of Conservation and Research Sri Lanka) for more than three years, our elephant fence is successfully active for more than eighteen months and we have had numerous projects in the surrounding villages and people from all over the world visiting us to learn about the HEC in Sri Lanka. Our impact is still very local but I never would have thought that what we do would reach so many people and draw that much attention. Education is the key for change and I am proud of the impact we have locally, as well as for the connections we managed to create worldwide drawing attention to such an important matter.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I am definitely a master of injuring myself. Looking at me now one of the first things you will see might be the scars on my legs gained through sandflies in the Amazon and the leeches of the Sri Lankan Cloudforest. I didn’t treat them properly and kept scratching until they got infected. I am one of those people who always thinks it will be fine and it’ll go away on its own. So it also didn’t matter when I was on a walking trail in Botswana and we encountered a pride of lions that I faceplanted on the rocks of a coppice. Fully concentrated on the lions I didn’t watch my step and fell over a rock. Instead of catching myself my only worry was to protect my rifle, making sure that it didn’t get damaged. I had a proper hole in my face below my lip. Too proud to insist that I was actually injured I continued on the walking trail with my guest about 12km back to the tented camp. The moment I looked in the mirror and saw the damage I nearly fainted.
Another day on a walking trail in the South African bush I felt something biting me inside my shorts in a place you don’t want to get bitten. Again, I was too proud to say I had a problem and also not in the mood to pull down my pants in front of guests! So, I again ignored it. I ended up with serious tick fever for two weeks. One of the worst times I remember. Still, the lesson was not learned!
When I got a call that an elephant, this time now in Sri Lanka, had entered the crops and people were trying to chase him away I again didn’t remember what I should have learned by now. As it was 2am and my colleagues were sleeping, I went straight away in my pyjamas towards the scene. My dog followed me and I was not bothered until my dog went to fight a local stray dog. While trying to separate them I got bitten and had a severe injury on my hand. We sorted out the elephant matter and I went back to bed. The next day I found myself in the local hospital for the dog bite.
Lessons learned: There is no shame in asking for and receiving help, you cannot and don’t have to do everything alone. And being sick or injured is no weakness. You have a team to support each other when needed. Take care of yourself and never ever take your dog!
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
Our main mission is to make a difference for the villagers as well as the elephants in our area. Both parties are badly affected by the Human Elephant Conflict. To mitigate the HEC we have to give solutions through education, awareness, research and actual projects like the village fencing to keep the elephants out of inhabited areas.
Education, awareness and research are some of the key points to work towards coexistence. It is vital that the topic gets attention and only by identifying the population and different individuals around the area can we make plans on how to mitigate them. Our awareness programme splits in two directions. On one side we try to educate the local community but on the other side it is also vital to inform tourists and guests from all over the world.
For the elephants to take the pressure off the community, the community has to take the pressure off the elephants. No elephant is bad by nature or harms a person just because they feel like it. The elephants also go into the paddy field because it follows their natural instinct to eat and it seems to be nutritious and easy.
Today the HEC has already reached a level that is hard to sustain as the habitat of the elephants is gone as the villages have taken over. The only solution is coexistence which means we have to go a few steps back and accept and appreciate the presence of elephants. The community has to recognize that the elephants are an asset to the country and even though they are troubling the people, they need to be protected, while at the same time, we have to make an effort to protect and support the villagers. Progress has been slow, but with the help given to the community, we are working towards it.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Sometimes you have a bigger impact than you think and sometimes you even have an impact on things you never thought about. Together with around 30 villagers, I was sitting in the community centre (which sounds bigger than it actually is) to listen and discuss the issues that matter in the little village of Pittala Konderama, home to around 70 families. It was roughly a year since we completed the construction of the community fence to keep the elephants out of the village. The villagers attending the meeting were very positive regarding the fence, saying that the incidents dropped to nearly zero over the last year. But in every community there is always one neighbour who does not pull in the same direction as the others. We were discussing that particular person who never attends to his duties, never keeps his fence area clean and doesn’t attend a single meeting. One villager stood up to say something. I still don’t speak Singhalese and didn’t understand. He seemed to be nervous speaking in front of the village but at the same time I could feel that he was saying something which was very close to his heart, and it moved me before I even understood what he was saying. My colleague translated: the man said for the past ten years he had been trying to plant manioc (cassava) in his garden. He was never able to harvest it as the elephants would always eat it before he had a chance. He explained how grateful he was that after ten years of unsuccessful effort, he was able to plant, grow, harvest, and actually eat his home-grown manioc together with his family. It really touched me and I knew we had done something good.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
- Media — Media should be based on facts and the truth rather than sensationalized misinformation
- The local community needs to receive support and compensation from the government to help them deal with the HEC
- The wildlife officials and teams need more staff, training and funds to work efficiently and have an impact on the actual situation
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I think you can call yourself a good leader if you manage to inspire and motivate people. Support their strength and make them grow.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1 . Working in Conservation and Wildlife is not for the fainthearted
A job in conservation and wildlife has nothing to do with saving little baby elephants and raising them with milk bottles. Most of the time you are dealing with suffering animals and animals that don’t make it. The job can be tough and emotionally exhausting. I still remember the first animal that died right in front of me after 4 hours of trying everything to save the animal. A moment I will never forget.
A rhino was stuck in mud for maybe two days. We managed to get it out with an unbelievable amount of people and physical effort. The rhino was exhausted. Same as us and after the emotional high of getting it out, the down followed instantly as it got stuck again. The effort of the last few hours seemed to be for nothing and we had to restart from the beginning. The sun was burning, I was already fully covered in mud and exhausted but the chance of setting this rhino free kept us going. It was a mission and then finally we managed to get it out for a second time. The rhino’s breath was slowing down and it wasn’t active anymore — no intention of running away again or even getting up. I looked right into the rhino’s eyes while it was lying on its side. We removed mud from its nostrils to make sure it was getting enough oxygen. Its eyes — I can’t forget it — suddenly its pupils seemed to rise and shimmer and then the shine faded within a second. Its muscles relaxed and urine left the body. One person thought it was taking a pee. But it was gone.
2 . Don’t fool yourself and think research is not an office job.
While most people think research means you are out all day observing animals you actually spend a lot more time with your notes to try to analyse what you have observed. Collecting data is one side of research but the actual research starts when you look at your observations, analyse, and try to read what you have seen. This doesn’t mean it gets boring though, actually, it is rewarding and exciting if your collected data is starting to tell you something. You recognize patterns, connections, specific individuals etc. Research is not done overnight and it needs consistency and patience.
3 . Having good intentions doesn’t mean you are welcome by everyone.
Especially working in a field trying to solve conflicts between humans and animals it is hard, close to impossible to make everyone happy. Whom are you fighting for, the animals or the humans? You have to grow a thick skin and accept that there will always be people who question what you’re doing. Solving conflicts between humans and elephants is a process of supporting animals and people in different steps and projects. Just because we treat an injured elephant doesn’t mean we accept that it is fine that the elephants come to the village at night and destroy crops. People start blaming you for damages done by wildlife and you are suddenly held responsible for the whole conflict. It takes a lot of passion and consistency to achieve set goals to mitigate these issues. But fortunately, there are also these moments in which people approach you and are thankful for the work you have done in the community to help them coexist with the animals. Never give up!
4 . Small things can make a big difference.
Working closely with the local community you want to give back and support them. A lot of our projects are not related directly to elephants. It is important to achieve a betterment for the community in any way that supports their life. I remember a village meeting last year to meet the community and find out what we could do for them and what issues they were facing. Some projects were already circulating in my head: they might need an elephant fence, they might need a new well or even a water treatment plant. But after talking to them their request was really humble. After the rainy season the road towards the village had been damaged and washed out. It was very hard to walk or ride a bike on the ruts in the soil and reach the village. Harvesting season would come soon and they would need the road to do their work in the fields. For us it was only supplying two lorries full of soil but for the villagers it made a big difference.
5 . All you need is a pair of flip flops.
Settling into my work I also underwent a process of recognizing what is essential and what is really important. I cannot even remember how much money I spent on equipment at the beginning. Sun and mosquito repellent, clothing, functional wear, three different pairs of shoes for all kinds of different terrains, a little gadget for this, a little gadget for that etc. I was properly caught in the idea that you have to be prepared for everything and I needed all these things to survive and work. Over the years my luggage shrank down to a single 30 litre backpack able to carry everything I really need. There is no need to be equipped like a special forces agent, actually most of the people I work with wear a shirt, sarong, and flip flops and they are doing very well in this environment.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Overcrowded national parks are a serious issue in Sri Lanka. It does not only harm the guest and safari experience, it also causes permanent damage to the environment and the animals that live inside the parks. Limited exits and entry points together with simple road systems lead to an increased traffic situation in the parks. Sri Lanka is such a diverse country and has so much to offer. The current number of national parks is 28. The tourist flow is mainly led into the same 3–4 parks while other parks are rarely visited. Spreading people more evenly and promoting other parks would increase the experience, take pressure off the environment, and provide island-wide work opportunities. Indeed the island would even be able to welcome more guests by making use of its diversity.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“You can’t start the next chapter in your life if you keep re-reading the last one.”
Leaving my country and quitting my well-paid job to go to a foreign country without a job lined up or a proper plan, left a lot of people shaking their heads and no one really understood WHY? You have to work for your happy ending, and in between there might be chapters that are challenging, but to move on you have to turn the page and never stand still. Work for your dreams to make them come true.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Karen Odendaal — Managing Director at Manyoni Private Game Reserve in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
I’m not even sure if she has any idea how much she influenced me and how much I looked up to her when I came to the reserve during my time as a volunteer. It is still a man’s world out there but she was the perfect example that you can do everything and there is no limit based on your gender. Thanks for (most probably unknowingly) being a role model for me and inspiring me to do what I do now. Would be lovely to catch up.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Anna Katharina Raaben
Facebook: Katharina Raaben
Instragram: the_wilderness_and_me / Katharina Raaben
TikTok: @the_wilderness_and_me / annakatharinaraaben
Uga Ulagalla — https://www.instagram.com/ugaulagalla/
Uga — https://www.instagram.com/ugaescapes/
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Katharina Raaben of Uga Ulagalla Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.