<P> In the 3rd century BC , King Devanampiya Tissa declared the area around Mihintale , Sri Lanka as a sanctuary for wildlife , probably the first of its kind in the ancient world . According to stone inscriptions found in the vicinity , the king commanded the people not to harm animals or destroy trees within the area . </P>
who was the first ruler in the recorded history to order the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries
King Devanampiya Tissa