Wildlife Diversity in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is home to thousands of species of animals and plants. It also has the highest species density for flowering plants, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals within the Asian region. Leopard, elephant, sloth bear, blue whale, and sperm whale are known as Sri Lanka's great wildlife attractions. Though Sri Lanka has a great wildlife diversity, it has been significantly threatened by human activity and the impact of climate change.

By visiting Sri Lanka people can see the animals which are endangered. And also can see the largest land mammal- the elephant in the world. Elephants are one of the most iconic and culturally significant species of wildlife as well. Visitors can also see the leopards which are another flagship species for biodiversity in Sri Lanka. Yala, Udawalawe, Wilpattu, Horton Plains, and Sinharaja rainforest reserves are some of Sri Lanka's national parks that are home to all manner of amazing creatures. Among them, Yala is the most famous national park in Sri Lanka and it is home to 215 bird species and 44 mammal species.

Sri Lanka is an amazing place for those who love birds as well. By visiting Kumana and Bundala national parks visitors can see almost every species of eye-catching bird recorded in Sri Lanka.

Yala National Park

Yala National Park, which is also known as Ruhuna National Park, is located in the Hambantota district in Southern Province and Monaragala district in Uva Province. This is one of the must-visit national parks in Sri Lanka as it is the second largest national park in the country. There is about a 4-hour long journey from Colombo to Yala and the nearest city to this park is Kataragama. The best time of the year to visit this park is from February to June because of the dry season. During that time visitors easily can spot the animals coming out of the lagoons to drink water. The rainiest time of the year that Yala gets is from September to December. So, in the month of September, this park closes for maintenance.

This park divides into 05 blocks and the first block is the most popular one. The reason is most of the visitors select this block for safaris. So, the animals are not very scared of vehicles in the park. And also, in this block visitors can see leopards roaming freely. In this park, people can find the Sri Lankan leopard called 'Panthera Pardus Kotiya' as well. And this park consists of 300-350 elephant tuskers. Visitors can see elephants roaming or bathing in the waterholes at the park and it is one of the most beautiful experiences. There is a large number of reptile species in the park as well. Some of them are saltwater crocodiles and mugger crocodiles. And also people can see water birds and migrant birds too.

There are wildlife bungalows operated by this park, so the people who visit there can get an unforgettable experience by spending a night in the park with the amazing wildlife.

Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka and this park is near Embilipitiya. This is a popular tourist destination and the best months of the year to visit this park are January and February because of the good weather. May, October, and November are the rainiest months of the year. This park has an annual rainfall of 1500 millimeters. The best times of the day to visit this park is in the mornings and evenings. Because in the morning you can see the sunrise and, in the evening, you can catch the beautiful sunsets as well. You can enjoy the beauty and catch lovely views of nature too.

By visiting this park, people can see herds of elephants, wild boars, spotted deer, Sambur deers, mongooses, and leopards and many kinds of animals. From this park, you can find the birds which are endemic species. Some of them are Sri Lankan green pigeon, Sri Lankan jungle fowl, and Sri Lankan hornbill.

This park is a magnificent place and it is Sri Lanka's third most visited park in the country. And this place is an amazing home to the wildlife who are a beautiful gift of mother nature.

Wilpattu National Park

Wilpattu is the largest and the oldest wildlife sanctuary in Sri Lanka. This is located 25 km north of Puttalam and this park is situated in the dry zone. There are two park gates for this park called 'Hunwilgam entrance' and 'Elawankulama entrance.'

There is a complex of over 50 wetlands called 'Villu' which are shallow natural lakes filled with rainwater. The best months to visit this park are February and October.

The villus that are natural lakes, dense forests, coastal belts, and open grasslands provide homes to the wildlife in Wilpattu. There are 31 mammals in this park. Some of them are Water Buffalo, Mugger Crocodiles, Sambur, and Barking Deers. There are various butterflies roaming in the park and it is a very beautiful scenario as well.

To explore this park, you can go on jeep safaris. During the safari, you can see leopards, elephants, endemic birds, and many more. There are people who guide wildlife safaris so anyone who visits this park can get a great experience and can get knowledge about that wildlife.

Horton Plains National Park

Horton Plains is one of the major tourist attractions in Sri Lanka. It is located in the Southern plateau of the Central islands in the country. This park is situated 08 km away from Ohiya. This place records over 5000 mm of rainfall annually and 55 F of temperature annually.

By visiting Horton Plains people can get the chance to see two amazing places as well. One is World's End which is situated in the Southern boundary of the park and the other one is beautiful Baker's fall.

In this park, you can see a greeny environment with grasslands and woody plants. You can experience a misty weather in the park during the wet season. And you can explore the herd of Sri Lankan Sambur roaming in the park. There is a special area for birds in the park too. Horton Plains is one of the important parks because it catches almost all major rivers including Mahaweli, Kelani, and Walawe. This park is full of beautiful scenarios and you can have a bundle of experiences and memories by visiting there.

Sinharaja Rain Forest

Sinharaja Rain Forest is located in the Southern West lowland wet zone within Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces in Sri Lanka. If you are coming to the forest from Northern or Western parts of the country you can reach the forest via Ratnapura, Kalawana, and Kiriella. And if you are planning to enter the forest from the South you can enter from Deniya. As this forest provides a home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies and many kinds of reptiles, insects, and rare amphibians, UNESCO declared this a UNESCO World Heritage in 1988 under the name of ' Sinharaja Forest Reserve.

This forest has a hot and sweaty climate over the year and there are beautiful waterfalls and some of them are Malmora falls, Duwili falls, and Kekuna falls. In this forest, you still can see two male elephants roaming together with other wild animals as well. This is also a must place to visit and explore the beauty of nature if you are truly a nature lover.

Kumana National Park

Kumana is one of the best national parks for bird watchers and this is situated in the Southeast corner of Sri Lanka. The annual temperature of the park is 27 degrees and this park gets an annual rainfall of 1300 mm. The entrance to Kumana national park is from Panama.

As Sri Lanka records more than 430 bird species you can find over 200 bird species in this park. So, this park can be considered Sri Lanka's most popular and important national park for bird life. The best time to go on safaris and explore the beauty is from Mid-January to April because of the favorable weather condition and sightings. This park is open for visitors from 6 am to 6 pm and you can only explore this park by jeep safaris.