When it comes to seeing wild animals, Sri Lanka is your best bet outside of Africa and the greatest in Asia. In fact, Sri Lanka is one of the top 10 most biodiverse places on Earth. Located in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, the beautiful island of Sri Lanka is surprisingly compact despite being endowed with incomparable natural wonders.
Yala National Park
The abundance of leopards at Yala National Park makes it the most visited wildlife preserve in Sri Lanka. Yala National Park occupies a sizable chunk of Sri Lanka’s southeastern portion. There are five distinct sections to the park. They reach all the way from the interior jungles to the coast of the Indian Ocean.
To protect the natural environment as much as possible, the general public is restricted to Blocks 1 and 5. Wildebeest migrations, crocodiles, monkeys, buffalo, sloth bears, leopards, and countless more animals. There are more than 20 national parks in Sri Lanka, but the diversity of wildlife at Yala National Park is what draws the most people.
Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains is regarded as Sri Lanka’s most significant watershed due to its abundance of lakes and waterfalls. The Mahaweli, the Kelani, and the Walawe all have their origins in the Horton Plains. Belihul Oya, Agra Oya, Kiriketi Oya, Uma Oya, and Bogawantalawa Oya are all fed by the plains as well.
Over 750 plant types and over 150 animal species call Horton Plains National Park home. Various ferns, orchids, and lichens are seen. Sambar deer, wild boar, purple-faced langur, sri lanka super fowl, magpie, wood pigeon, and red slender loris are just few of the numerous creatures that make their home in the forest.
Bundala National Park
Migratory water birds from all over the world use Bundala National Park as a wintering ground. The greater flamingo is the most spectacular of the 197 species of birds that call Bundala home during their annual migration. Other mammals that can be seen on a safari in Bundala include the endemic Toque Macaque, Common Langur, Jackal, Fishing Cat, Rusty-spotted Cat, Mongoose, Wild Boar, Mouse Deer, Spotted Deer, Sambar Deer, and Black-napped Hare.
Minneriya National Park
The finest place to see the largest gathering of wild Asian elephants is on a safari in Minneriya National Park. On a safari, you can also observe a variety of birds. During the dry season in Sri Lanka, several elephants congregate in the grasslands along the Minneriya Tank.
A huge herd is helped along by the Minneriya tank. There are between 150 and 350 elephants in Minneriya National Park. Observed species include leopards, sloth bears, and two types of endemic monkeys. A large number of bird species, close to 170, have been spotted here.
Wilpattu National Park
Wilpattu National Park encompasses 131 acres in Puttlam and Anuradhapura. Wildlife such as elephants, leopards, and the Sri Lankan sloth bear call this island home. It’s one of the oldest and largest wildlife preserves in Sri Lanka. The Department of Wildlife Conservation oversees the park, which was established from five separate parcels declared protected in the years 1938-1973 under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.
The elegant Sri Lankan Leopard, a subspecies of leopard found only in Sri Lanka, can often be seen in Wilpattu National Park. Because of its status as the island’s top predator, the island’s largest cat can be spotted freely roaming and sunbathing in the villu and tank habitats during dawn and dusk. Safaris at Wilpattu National Park can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Sinharaja, in the country’s southwestern corner, is its last remaining tract of primary tropical rainforest. There are about sixty percent endemic tree species, and many of them are quite rare. The reserve is home to a wide variety of unique species, including over half of Sri Lanka’s endemic animal and butterfly species, in addition to numerous insect, reptile, and amphibian species.
Leopards, Indian elephants, purple-faced langurs, Sri Lankan wood pigeons, green-billed Coucals, Sri Lankan white-headed starlings, Sri Lankan blue magpies, ashy-headed babblers, and Sri Lankan broad-billed rollers are just some of the uncommon and endangered species that call this reserve home.
Udawalawe National Park
Amazing wildlife, safaris, holidaymakers, elephants, an elephant orphanage, hotels, animals, and birds may all be found in Sri Lanka’s Udawalawe National Park. The park is also home to sambar, chital, and wild boar, in addition to the elephants. To name just a few, the dry zone is home to the greyheaded fish eagle, black-shouldered kite, changeable hawk eagle, crested serpent eagle, white-bellied sea eagle, shikra, common kestrel, brown fish owl, and western marsh harrier.