NATIONAL PARKS
NATIONAL PARKS – IN SRI LANKA
1. MINNERIYA NATIONAL PARK
Minneriya National Park, Sitting in the center of the cultural triangle, Minneriya is a nice solution to the busier parks in the south and in a day between visiting the ancient towns, it is simple to weave here. The dry season is the best time to visit the 8,890-hectare park, preferably from June to September, when the old tank, the lake that dominates the region, dries out and the grasses and shoots move through.
2. KAUDULLA NATIONAL PARK
Kaudulla National Park is a Sri Lankan national park situated 197 kilometers (122 mi) from Colombo. It was designated as a national park as the 15th such area on the island on April 1, 2002. Like Minneriya, Kaudulla provides a great opportunity for elephants to get near and personal.
3. YALA NATIONAL PARK
Yala National Park, bordering the Indian Ocean, is Sri Lanka’s most visited and second biggest national park. The park is made up of five blocks, two of which are now accessible to the public and adjacent parks as well. The blocks have individual names for the adjacent region such as Ruhuna National Park (Block 1), and Kumana National Park or’ Yala East.’ It is located in the country’s southeastern region and is located in the southern province and province of Uva.
4. KUMANA NATIONAL PARK
Sri Lanka Kumana National Park is known for its fauna, especially its big flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds. The park is located on the southern shore of Sri Lanka 391 kilometers (243 mi) southwest of Colombo. Kumana is adjacent to Yala National Park. Kumana was previously known as the National Park of Yala East.
5. UDAWALAWA NATIONAL PARK
Udawalawe National Park is located in Sri Lanka on the border between Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces. The National Park was established to provide sanctuary for wildlife displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River and to safeguard the reservoir catchment.
6. WILPATTU NATIONAL PARK
Wilpattu National Park (Willu-pattu; Lakes Land) is a park on Sri Lanka’s island. The distinctive characteristic of this park is the existence of “Willus” (Natural Lakes)-natural water basins or depressions filled with rainwater. Located in Sri Lanka’s lowland dry area on the northwest coast. The park is 30 km south of Anuradhapura, 26 km south of Puttalam (about 180 km north of Colombo).
7. WASGAMUWA NATIONAL PARK
Wasgamuwa National Park is a Sri Lankan natural park located in the districts of Matale and Polonnaruwa. The park is 225 kilometers from Colombo. During the Mahaweli Development Project in 1984, it was declared to protect and make a refuge for displaced wildlife and is one of the four national parks designated under the project.
8. BUNDALA NATIONAL PARK
Bundala National Park is a wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka that is of international importance. Bundala harbors 197 bird species, the highlight being the larger flamingo that migrates in big flocks. In 1969, Bundala was designated a wildlife sanctuary and on 4 January 1993 was reassigned to a national park.
Bundala became the first wetland in Sri Lanka to be declared a Ramsar site in 1991. In 2005 the national park was designated as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, the fourth biosphere reserve in Sri Lanka. The national park is located southeast of Colombo, 245 kilometers (152 mi).
9. HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK
Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in Sri Lanka’s central highlands, covered with mountain grassland and cloud forest. This plateau is rich in biodiversity at an elevation of 2,100–2,300 meters (6,900–7,500 ft), and many species discovered here are endemic to the area. In 1988, this region was designated as a national park.
10. SINHARAJA RAIN FOREST
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a Sri Lankan national park and a hotspot for biodiversity. It is of global importance and has been recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
Sinharaja is the last feasible region of main tropical rainforest in the country, according to the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN).