Udawalawe National Park

 

 

 

    Udawalawe National Park is a national park in Sri Lanka. It is situated on the border between the Sri Lankan provinces of Sabaragamuwa and Uva. Udawalawe National Park is located 200 kilometers south of Colombo. Udawalawa National Park is easily accessible from Colombo through the Rathnapura – Pelmadulla – Colombage Ara – Thanamalwila Road, which leads to the park entrance.

Initially, the goal of creating this national park was to provide a safe haven for wild creatures who had been forced to relocate due to the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir. The Udawalawe reservoir is currently the main draw for elephants visiting the Udawalawe National Park. The sanctuary is located in the country's arid zone, with an annual rainfall of roughly 1,525 mm and an average temperature of around 29.5C0.
Udawalawe National Park, which covers a total area of 30,821 hectares, is known for its enormous elephant population. As a result, this national park is an excellent place to see herds of magnificent Asian elephants in their native surroundings. Around 400 elephants are known to be sustaining themselves here, with roughly 250 of them considered permanent residents.

Aside from elephants, the national park is home to a variety of other creatures, including the rusty-spotted cat, fishing cat, and Sri Lankan leopard. In Udawalawa National Park, the Sri Lankan sloth bear is rarely spotted. Other mammal species that may be seen include Sri Lankan sambar deer, Sri Lankan axis deer, Indian muntjac, Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain, wild boar, and water buffalo. The park is also home to golden jackal, Asian palm civet, Toque macaque, Tufted grey langur, and Indian hare. In 1989, the endemic Ceylon spiny mouse was discovered in the Udawalawe national park.

In Sri Lanka, the Udawalawe sanctuary is also a popular bird-watching destination. Birdwatchers would have a fantastic opportunity to see a wide variety of birds, including endemic species and migrants. Udawalawa national park is home to endemic species such as the Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, and Brown-capped Babbler. Cormorants, Spot-billed Pelicans, Asian open-bills, Painted storks, Black-headed ibis, and Eurasian spoonbills are among the many water birds that frequent the reservoir.

Furthermore, birds of prey such as the White-bellied sea eagle, Crested serpent-eagle, Grey-headed fish eagle, Booted eagle, and Changeable hawk-eagle flock to the open grassland. The only permitted means for tourists to observe the Udawalawe national park is to drive through it in a 4WD safari jeep. A half-day or full-day jeep safari in Udawalawa National Park will undoubtedly become a lifelong memory. Explore the wonders of Sri Lanka's wild life while having a once-in-a-lifetime trip.