Despite its small size Sri Lanka boasts of one of the highest rates of biological endemism in the world whether in plants or animals and is included among the top five biodiversity hotspots in the world. Of the ninety-one species of mammals found in Sri Lanka Asian elephants, sloth bear, leopards, sambar and wild buffaloes engages the majority of the attention of wildlife enthusiast. Yet the rarest mammals of Sri Lanka are the red slender Loris, Toque Macaque, and Purple-faced Langur, who according to IUCN clarifications are endangered due to habitat loss. Despite the mighty elephants and rare amphibians found in the country birds are the glory of the Sri Lanka’s wildlife. Boasting nearly 433 bird species of which 233 are resident Sri Lanka holds 20 endemic species while another 80 species have developed distinct Sri Lankan races, compared to their cousins in Indian mainland.
Although less celebrated, Sri Lanka has one of the richest diversity of amphibians in the world, containing over 106 species of amphibians of over 90 of which are endemic. The country has long claimed to have the highest amphibian species density in the world with a high concentration in the Sinharaja rainforest.
Although less celebrated, Sri Lanka has one of the richest diversity of amphibians in the world, containing over 106 species of amphibians of over 90 of which are endemic. The country has long claimed to have the highest amphibian species density in the world with a high concentration in the Sinharaja rainforest.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park affords the greatest opportunities to sight the Sri Lanka’s broad variety of wildlife: colorful painted stork in troops are seen perched at the shores of lagoon where the crocodiles too have chosen to doze off; lovely fantailed peacocks in their resplendent blues and greens parade about amidst the woods where monkeys hang, leap and chatter; in the bush jungle are the Elephants; crossing the tracks and wandering off into the thorny scrub jungle is the star attraction of the park: The leopard, Sri Lankan leopards (Panthera Pardus Kotiya) Yala National Park’s Block 1, on the western side of the park, the only one of all five blocks open to the visitors, has recorded the highest density of leopards among the leopard populations scattered in the wildlife parks of Sri Lanka. These magnificent beasts have now much habituated to the encroachment of their domains by the humans in jeeps. Young males don’t betray any sign of disturbance; they seem confident roaming over the gravel roads tracks as well as the bush jungle during the day: the visitors enjoy to no ends, fine photographic opportunities to capture the magnificent beasts well focused at the close range. Yala National Park is rich in bird life and around 130 species have been recorded.Raptors include crested serpent eagle and white bellied sea eagle. Among the water birds attracted to the lagoons are Lesser Flamingo, Pelicon, Spoonbill, painted stork, rare black necked Stork, grey heron, purple heron, night heron and Darter.
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Udawalawe National Park
The entrance to Udawalawe National Park is located near 11km post between Timbolketiya and Tanamanwila on Pelmadulla-Timbolketiya A18 road. Udawalawe is undoubtedly the best place in Sri Lanka to see wild Asian Elephants throughout the year: there are about 500 elephants in the park and they often roam in herds of up to 100. Udawalawe National Park is unique in terms of consistency in numbers of elephants roaming the park: it has no a seasonal variation in herds of elephants. The best hours to visit the park are in the mornings and evenings. Late evening also affords the photographic opportunities in the backdrop of loveliest sunsets. Keeping company to the herds of elephants, the main attraction of the park are Water Buffalo, Wildboar, Spotted Deer, Sambur Deer, Jackal, Samber, Black-naped hare, mongooses, bandicoots, foxes, s the endemic Toque Macaque and Gray Langers. Sighting Leopard and other smaller cats like Fishing cat & Jungle cat would be a bonus. Satin trees that abound in the park attract butterflies: beautiful Banded Peacock, Common Jezebel, Common Indian Crow and many species of ‘Yellows and Whites’ Common Mormon. In the riverine forest areas Common Blue-bottle are seen.While the crocodiles doze off on the banks of the reservoir, the water monitor lizards are abound in the park.
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Kaudulla National Park
Kaudulla is the newly established national park in the heart of the cultural triangle. Kaudulla in the country and has excellent potential for viewing elephant and other species of wildlife. The location is situated in 30km away from Polonnaruwa District in North central province. Topography is varied with hills, lowlands, forest and scrub land. Kaudulla is an ancient irrigation tank with a capacity of 104,000 feet acres. The main source of water is giant canal which is around the tank. The national park vegetation consists of tropical dry mixed evergreen forests, abandoned chena cultivated lands, grasslands and wetlands. Tropical dry mixed evergreen forest predominated. Twenty four species of mammals in Sri Lanka have been reported from this park.. The most important of them is the wild elephant the population of which is about 200. Twenty six species of fish are found in the reservoir, this fish are economically important. Birdlife at the Kaudulla,160 species of bird including large water birds such as Spot-billed Pelican and Lesser Adjutant visit the Kaudulla tank. Asian Spoonbill, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Black-headed Ibis, Painted Stork and Openbill Stork are common sights at the park. Peacock, Eagle, Giant Eagle that are hereditary to Sri Lanka are always hover over the park. One of the most spectacular sceneries in the park is hundreds of pelicans at the tank when it is about to sun set.
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Wilpattu National Park
The park is located 30km west of Anuradhapura and spans the border between the North Central and North Western Province. It is bordered by the Modaragam aru in the south the Kala Oya in the north and is bordered by the Indian ocean in the west. The Wilpattu National Park is the largest national park in the area with an acreage of 131, 693 hectares. Looking at the fauna of this national park mammalian diversity and ecological densities are highest. A total of 31 species of mammals have been identified at the Wilpattu national park. Mammals threatened with extinction are also there. The elephant, Sloth bear , leopard and water Buffalo are identified as the threatened species living within the Wilpattu National Park.Other wetland bird species as Garganey , Pin tail Whistling teal, Spoonbill , White ibis , Large white egret, Cattle egret and Purple heron. also found at the Wilpattu National Park. The most common reptiles found in the park are the monitor lizard , mugger crocodile , common cobra , rat snake, Indian python , pond turtle and the soft shelled turtle which are resident in the large permanent Villus.The best time to visit Wilpattu is during the months of February and October. There are a few private eco-tourism groups that show tourists around the park in Safari like trips.
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Wasgamuwa National Park
The entrance to Wasgamuwa National Park is at Handungamuwa. The center of the attraction is herds of elephants up to 150. The best time to enjoy the sight of large herds is during November to May. In the rest of the year the elephants tend to migrate to nearby Minneriya and Kaudulla national Parks. Other wildlife includes Purple faced langur monkeys, wild boar, sambar and spotted deer, buffalo and rarely sighted leopards and sloth bears.Among the reptiles are water monitor, mugger crocodile, estuarine crocodile and python (Python Molurus). 143 species of birds reported at Wasgamuwa National Park, Endemic Red-faced malkoha and Ceylon jungle fowl are common sight in the park. Among the bird populations are Sri Lanka Trogon, racquet tailed drongo, endemic yellow fronted barbet, endemic Sri Lanka spurfowl, white necked stork and lesser adjutant stork. Remains of a number of small rainwater reservoirs and ruins of temples reveal that the region of Wasgamuwa National Park, was once home to prosperous villages. The ruins estimated to be about 1800 years old features a reclining Buddha statue at Buduruwayaya. Ruins of a palace with stone pillars are found in an island in a canal known as Kalinga Yoda Ela built by King Parakrambahu the great in the twelfth century.
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Maduru Oya National Park
Maduru Oya National Park is one of popular tourism destination for elephants’ habitat. And Maduru Oya National Park spreads over an area of 58, 849 hectares for a wide variety of wildlife including some endemic bird species and reptiles as well as ancient ruins. Elephant, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Sambhur, Spotted, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Wild Buffalo, Torque Macaque, Purple Face Leaf Monkey and Nocturnal Slender Loris are the main wildlife that travelers can be viewed. In addition to that, there are about 100 bird species including Lesser Adjutant, Wooly Necked Stork, Open Bill, Painted Stork, Racket Tailed Drongo, Yellow Fronted Barbet, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl and Spur Fowl can be discovered in this Maduru Oya National Park. The best travelling mode inside the park is four wheeled vehicles and there are some accommodations facilities; two circuit bungalows, one residence at the park office in front of Maduru Oya reservoir and Ulhitiya Campsite. Not only wildlife, but Maduru Oya National Park also has many ancient ruins to see, including ancient statues and hermitages from different eras in Sri Lankan history. And this National Park is close to Wasgamuwa National Park also. Although this Maduru Oya National Park’s southern edge borders on the intermediate zone, this park is located entirely within Sri Lanka’s dry zone. And this area’s climax community is tropical dry and owed evergreen forest. Maduru Oya National Park located in Eastern and Uva Provinces in Sri Lanka, which gives a great pleasure and experience to nature lovers as well as gives the opportunity to explore to some ruins of Sri Lanka’s worthy history.
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Gal Oya National Park
Gal Oya National Park allows the visitors to enjoy its beauty and wild life by Boat safari as well as by Jeep safaris. Boat safari affords the opportunity to land in an island within the reservoir called “Bird Island” swarming with birds. Best time to visit Gal Oya National Park is from March to July. During this period, the boat safaris bring the spectacle of herds of elephants swimming from one island to another island in the great Senanayaka Samaudra reservoir. The vegetation of the national park is of three types: forest, shrub and grassland. About 45% of the park is covered by evergreen forest and a further 33% national park contains an area of Savanna like grasslands and 9% mountainous grasslands, 2% chena and 10% water bodies. The park is home to rare plants used as herbal medicine. Gal Oya National Park is a sanctuary to 32 species of terrestrial mammals. The highest populations are common Langur, endemic Toque Macaque, Leopard sloth bear, Elephant, Wild Boar, three species of deer and Water Buffalo. About 150 species of birds of 334 species of Sri Lanka are seen at Gal Oya National Park. The Lesser Adjutant, Spot-billed Pelican and Red-faced Malkoha are some of the park’s resident birds. The White-bellied Sea Eagle, and Grey-headed Fish Eagle are the notable raptors of the area. Gal Oya National Park‘s butterfly species include the endemic Lesser Albatross.
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Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest.The original name of the area was Maha Eliya Thenna (great open plain"). But in the British period the plains were renamed after Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton. The plains' vegetation is grasslands interspersed with montane forest, and includes many endemic woody plants. Large herds of Sri Lankan sambar deer feature as typical mammals, and the park is also an Important Bird Area with many species not only endemic to Sri Lanka but restricted to the Horton Plains. Forest dieback is one of the major threats to the park and some studies suggest that it is caused by a natural phenomenon. The sheer precipice of World's End and Baker's Fallsare among the tourist attractions of the park. World's End is a sheer precipice with a 870 m (2,854 ft) drop. It is situated at the southern boundary of the park. Baker's Falls, a waterfall formed by Belihul Oya, a tributary of the Walawe River is named after Sir Samuel Baker, a hunter and explorer who attempted to establish a European agricultural settlement at Nuwara Eliya. The falls are 20 metres (66 ft) high. Slab Rock Falls is another well known waterfall in the plains.
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Somawathi National Park
The Somawathi National Park is one of the four national parks set aside under the Mahaweli River development project. The other three national parks being Maduru Oya, Wasgamuwa and Flood plains. The park spans the Eastern and North Central provinces in the deltoid plain of the Mahaweli River. It affords protection to a unique habitat, i.e. riverine villus and flood plains, as well as to a large concentration of elephants in the country, in conjunction with the adjacent Flood Plains National Park. The ecological importance of Somawathiya is due mainly to the abundance of elephants, which is estimated to be around 400 within the park and its immediate environs, and also due to its abundant bird life. Noteworthy mammals include the golden jackal, fishing cat, rusty-spotted cat , leopard, wild boar, water buffalo, porcupine and black-naped hare. Currently the Somawathi National Park is under threat due to the government providing large land blocks belonging to the park for private large scale banana cultivations and development of public road networks through the park. The park is most popular for the Somawathi Stupa which houses the left tooth relic of Buddha.
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Kumana National Park
Kumana National Park in Sri Lanka is renowned for its avifauna, particularly its large flocks of migratory waterfowland wading birds. Kumana is contiguous with Yala National Park. Kumana was formerly known as Yala East National Park, but changed to its present name in 5 September 2006. Kumbukkan Oya forms the southern boundary of the national park. Some 20 lagoons and tanks support the extensive birdlife of the national park. The park's wetland areas are surrounded by dry zone tropical thorn forest. Kumana Bird Sanctuary, Sri Lanka records more than 430 bird species comprising endemic, resident and migrant birds. Of these, the bird watchers are able to watch over 200 species easily. The wide variety of birds found in the numerous wildlife parks of Sri Lanka makes the tropical island a prime bird watching destination in the world. Among the breeding inhabitants of the Kumana villu are the rare species such as Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Eurasian Spoonbill, and Great Thick-knee are breeding inhabitants of the Kumana villu. The bird species migrate here in large flocks. Asian Open bill, White-breasted Water hen, Lesser Whistling Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Weathercock, Purple Swamp hen.... Apart from being abound with the birdlife, Kumana is also home to some of the mammals found in the adjacent Yala National Park such as Elephants, Leopards, Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, European Otter as well as the endangered Fishing Cat.
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Lahugala Kitulana National Park
Lahugala Kitulana National Park is one of the smallest national parks in Sri Lanka. Despite its land area, the park is an important habitat for Sri Lankan elephant and endemic birds of Sri Lanka. The national park contains the reservoirs of Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa and they are ultimately empties to Heda Oya river. Originally it was designated as a wildlife sanctuary on July 1 of 1966. Then the protected area was upgraded to a national park on October 31 of 1980. This national park is traditionally used by elephants as a feeding ground. A herd of 150 individuals is attracted by grass which is common around the Lahugala tank. Endemic toque macaque, tufted gray langur, sloth bear, golden jackal, rusty-spotted cat, fishing cat, Sri Lanka leopard, wild boar, Sri Lankan axis deer, Indian pangolin and Indian hare are the other mammals found in the park.Many wetland birds found in Lahugala Kitulana include great white pelican, purple heron, painted stork, lesser adjutant, white-bellied sea eagle, grey-headed fish eagle, common kingfisher, stork-billed kingfisher, white-throated kingfisher, Spot-billed pelican, Asian openbill and woolly-necked stork are also recorded visiting the wetland. The last recorded sighting of knob-billed duck, now thought be extinct in Sri Lanka, occurred in here. Red-faced malkoha and Sri Lanka spurfowl are two endemic birds that reside in the park.
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Lunugamvehera National Park
The Lunugamvehera National Park was designed to protect water-ways and to provide a resting-station for elephants, migrating between the Eastern section of the Yala Wildlife Conservation and the Western side of the Udawalawa National Park. As the biodiversityin this area, including elephants is considerable, in order to conserve the area, it was declared a National Park under the Wildlife and Conservation Act and on December 8th 1995. In this park which is situated in the wet-zone, small hillocks can be seen here and there. The height from the sea-level is usually 91 meters. The beautiful mountain at a height of 20 meters is the highest point of the park. The eoc-systemc onsists of Dry zone and evergreen forests. Weera, Kone, Palu, Hik, Kunumallawa, Kirikone, Ulkenda, Kappetiy and Coffee plants are commonly seen. Due to the grass the gas that grows around the Lunugamvehera lake, many wild animals could be seen arriving here searching for food. Among them are many elephants and buffalo apart from dandulena, Porcupines, Kola diviya, MOngoose, Wild boar, Mimiththa and Spotted deer. Among the types of bird which live here are the native Jungle fowl which faces a threat of extinction. Among the reptiles could be seen the Crocodile and Star tortoise. Archelogical ruins of Pas Kema (Waterholes), Hathkema and seven vihara, a cave-painting and stone inscription can be seen.
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Hikkaduwa National Park
Hikkaduwa National Park is one of two marine national parks in Sri Lanka. The reserve contains a fringing coral reef of high degree biodiversity. The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary on May 18th 1979, and then on August 14th 1988, it was upgraded to a nature reserve with extended land area. The growth of the number of visitors in the next 25 years increased the degradation of the coral reef and to reduce the effects on the ecosystem, the reef was declared a national park on September 19th 2002. Hikkaduwa coral reef is a typical shallow fringing reef with an average depth of around 5 metres (16 ft). The coral reef reduces the coastal erosion and forms a natural breakwater. The coast of the national park extends 4km. Generally the coast is narrow, ranging from 5-50m, depending on climatic conditions of the year. Scuba diving is a popular recreation here. Foliaceous Montipora species dominate the coral reef. Encrusting and branching species are also present. Faviidae and Poritidae corals are contained in the inshore areas of the reef in massive colonies. Staghorn, Elkhorn, Cabbage, Brain, Table and Star corals are all present from the reef. Corals of 60 species belonging to 31 genera are recorded from the reef. The reef also recorded over 170 species of reef fish belonging to 76 genera.
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