8 Wildlife Sanctuaries to Explore in Sri Lanka
Checkout places to visit in Sri Lanka
An island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka's documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of prehistoric human settlements dating back at least 125,000 years.
Wildlife Sanctuaries by destination
Activities Around
Wildlife Sanctuaries to Explore in Sri Lanka
It is reputed as the second best-surfing spot in Sri Lanka. The beach is known for its Coral Reef that visitors can access.
Hurulu Forest Reserve of Sri Lanka designated in January 1977 as a biosphere reserve. The forest reserve is an essential habitat of the Sri Lankan elephant. Hurulu forest reserve represents Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests. Carved out at the Hurulu Forest Reserve edge is the Hurulu Eco Park, which offers jeep safaris.
Located in the south of Sri Lanka, it was designated in 1995 to be a national park to protect the catchment Lunugamvehera reservoir and its wildlife. This national park is an essential place for water birds and elephants.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was established in 1975 for wild Asian elephants, in Pinnawala town, 13 km north of Kegalle in Sabaragamuwa Province in Sri Lanka. It has the largest gathering of captive elephants globally and has 96 elephants, including 43 males and 68 females from 3 generations.
Udawalawe National Park is located on the border of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, south Sri Lanka. The national park was established to be a sanctuary for wild animals. It has the Udawalawa Elephant Orphanage- to rehabilitate orphaned elephant calves for release back into the wild.
It is a natural park in Sri Lanka located 225 km away from Colombo in Matale and Polonnaruwa. It is also one of the protected areas where you can see Sri Lankan Elephants in large crowds. It is also one of the important birds areas in the country.
Wilpattu National Park is located 26 km north of Puttalam. With an area of 131,693 hectares Wilpattu National Park is the largest and oldest wildlife sanctuary in Sri Lanka. The park features more than 50 wetlands, 31 species of mammals, and countless species of birds.
The park is the most visited and second-largest national park in the country. It is a vast forest, grassland, and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean in southeast Sri Lanka. It is home for leopards, elephants, and crocodiles, as well as hundreds of bird species.