Best View of a Minefield

It's a stretch to talk of an upside to land mines, but there's no denying that one result of northern Sri Lanka's status as one of the most heavily mined places on earth is that the area has become a haven for creatures with little use for land. Sri Lanka is a paradise for tropical birds—home to more than 400 species, of which at least 23 are found nowhere else. But it's only in Tamil Tiger-controlled territory, where a carpet of unexploded ordnance has made the jungle and salt marshes no-go areas for humans, that the birds have the place to...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!