Park

Bundala

Bundala National Park occupies an area of 6216 hectares. This National Park was originally recognized as a sanctuary in the year 1969. Due to the magnificent role played by the Park this was declared as the RAMSAR Wetland in 1990. The Bundala National Park serves as the wintering area to all sorts of the wandering birds.
Since the National Park is situated in the semi – arid part of the province, so the rainfall in the Park is highly seasonal. Focal cause of the rainfall in this area is the Northeast Monsoon Winds that blow over this part of the country in the period of December to February. The average annual Rainfall marked in this area is 900 – 1300 mm. Area generally experiences an elongated drought from May to October. The average twelve – monthly temperature is 27 C. The Daily Temperature of the region is 30 C and this is quite tolerable by the dwellers of the area.
The Bundala National Park serves as the home to a large population of the elephants, Quagmire and estuarine crocodiles, turtles as well as other faunal animals that include leopards. Elongated along the eastern coast of the Hambantola, the Bundala National Park is an ideal spot for the immediate enjoyment. You can travel four hours in a jeep and take a stunning view of the leopards, elephants, eight feet crocs, huge squirrels and the flamingoes. The afternoon travel to the National Park in the dry season (that extends from December to May) provides the tourists with the most suited chance of viewing the wildlife.
The Bundala National Park encloses the coast for nearly 20 km. This includes five shallow and brackish lagoons and the leeway which entirely dry up at times when the drought extends for long period. These lagoons are separated by the thick low scrubby wooded area that runs down the coastal dunes.
The most vital characteristic of the Bundala National Park is the pink flocks of the flamingoes that provide a highlighted image to the park. The sight of this pink flock is quite awkward. But in the dusk it will blow you off and force you to capture the image of this sight in your cameras. Herons, Spoonbills, Painted Storks are frequently sighted.
So if you are trying to find a place that can serve your purpose of vacation and has striking surroundings as well then this National Park is fit for you.

Gal Oya National Park  

Gal Oya National Park, located 300 kilometres from Colombo in the Ampara and Badulla districts, derives its name from the Gal Oya, the river that flows through it. After Independence in 1948 this river was dammed in order to create the largest reservoir in the island, the Senanayake Samudra, which is 78 square kilometres in extent. It is possible to take boat trips on the Senanayake Samudra, which supports a sizeable fishing industry. This is a good way of seeing the rich aquatic bird life that frequents the reservoir.

This large body of water with its impressive backdrop of rocky, forested hills is considered to be one off the most attractive landscapes the island has to offer. When the “sea” was constructed, however, the waters

submerged great tracts of forest, the home of the hunter-gatherer tribe of Veddhas. A few gnarled trunks sticking out of the water bear mute testament to the unfortunate side of this inundation. This body of water and its considerable catchment area comprise the Gal Oya National Park, which was established in 1954 and covers some 62,936 hectares.

Gal Oya is in essence a valley that is redolent of history. It has given refuge to several kings in the distant past. In the 2nd century BC, for instance, King Tissa sought refuge Digavapi, the place the Buddha is said to have visited on his third and last visit to Sri Lanka. The dagoba built to commemorate this event attracts thousands of pilgrims annually. Then in the 13th century, King Buvenekabahu sought refuge at the summit of Govindahela, a peak within the park. Henebedde cave near the mountain of Vadinagala has a drip ledge with Brahmi inscriptions, and nearby are a moonstone and guard stone.

Gal Oya National Park comprises forest and grassland. The forest is generally evergreen with a dense canopy. Predominant tree species are Halmilla or Trincomalee wood, etamba, kalumediriya or calamander and kaluwara or ebony. In the grasslands the main species are aralu (Terminalia chebula), bulu (Terminalia bellirica), and gammalu (Pterocarpus marsupium). A total of 32 species of mammal have been recorded at Gal Oya National Park. The most prevalent are the Sri Lanka grey languor, toque monkey, Sri Lanka leopard, Sri Lanka sloth bear, Sri Lanka elephant, Indian wild boar and water buffalo.

150 species have been recorded in the area. Most remarkable are the endemics, the red-faced malkoha (Phoenicophaus pyrrhocephalus) and Sri Lanka spur fowl. There are large numbers of fish eating birds, such as the little cormorant, great cormorant, Indian cormorant, spot-billed pelican, grey-headed fishing eagle, and white-bellied sea eagle. Reptiles include the Sri Lanka swamp crocodile - which is found in the water bodies and irrigation canals - and the water monitor - which is found in the drier areas. There are many snakes, such as the rat snake, python or pimbura (Python molurus), as well as the venomous cobra and Russell’s viper. 

Uda Walawe National Park

  Uda Walawe National Park Distance from Colombo : 170km

Uda Walawe is the best park in Sri Lanka to watch and photograph wild elephants. Located next to the vast Uda Walawe reservoir, only a short drive from the South Coast, the park covers an area of over 30,000 hectares and consists of a mixture of scrubland and teak forest. The lack of forest in some areas is due to the extensive slash-and-burn farming that was once practised in this area. Uda Walawe became the country's fifth National Park in 1972.

The park supports approximately five hundred elephants and herds of over 50 individuals are not uncommon, the forest cover is also limited by their de-barking of the trees. An elephant fence not only helps

to keep this population away from neighbouring agricultural land but keeps domestic cattle out and protects the parks other resident mammals .Leopard sightings although rare in this park do occur with some regularity, but you have to be very lucky to see one. There are five good locations worth visiting for leopard sightings, they consist of rocky outcrops where the leopards rest to enjoy the warmth of the first rays of early morning sunshine. As well as elephant and leopard Uda Walawe is home to many other animals including sambar, barking deer, water buffalo, jackals, sloth bears and three varieties of mongoose. Amongst the 30 or so reptile species water monitor lizards reach up to six feet in length. This is also a great park for birds, in particular raptors such as the Crested Serpent Eagle and the Grey Headed Fishing Eagle as well as arid-country specialists including the Malabar Pied Hornbill and Blue-faced Malkoha.