Fauna Banquet

Exploring wild life in a Sri Lanka Holiday is a grand eco repast. The choice available to you when you open the Sri Lanka Map has 12 national parks, 51 sanctuaries and four strict natural reserves. Our Jet Chef in the sought after Villa Sri Lanka can plan a banquet that is tailor made Sri Lanka.  

A veritable ‘menu’ of nature’s delights can be prepared as your itinerary:  

For an appetizer you can have the largest concentration of Whales at Dolphins at Mirissa or Trincomalee.  

For Salads you have the Best Avifauna you can find below the Himalayas in Kumana.  

For your Main Entrée you see the mammoth mammals Elephas Maximus Maximus, the Sloth Bear and Leopard.  

For sides the Yala National Park offers variety – Mongoose, Pangolins, Sambar , Wild Buffalo and several kinds of Deer endemic to Sri Lanka.  

For Desserts you can enjoy Flamingos, Hawk Eagles Fly Catchers, Black Bitterns Jackals and Crocodiles.  

Finale – Be alert and look around. You will be fascinated with Moistly Monsoon Forest, Dry Monsoon forest, Semi Deciduous forests, Thorn forests, Grasslands, Fresh water and Marine wet lands and the Sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean.  

Let us see an overview of these delights.  

The Yala National park  

It is the oldest National Park in Sri Lanka. The park is huge for its size, in terms of the total surface area of the Island that covers approximately 1297 sq kms. Kumbukkan Oya and Menik Ganga are two rivers that flow through the Park, providing a perennial source of water to the animals even in the driest months. Yala is a prime conservation habitat for a significant portion of the large number of flora and fauna of Sri Lanka.  

Uda Walawe National Park  

The park of recent origin is a classic example of the dichotomy of development Progress and Preservation. It is located in the lower catchment of Udawalawa Reservoir the Intermediate Lowland region. The parkland is on the right bank of Walawe River. The Uda Walawe reservoir built for both irrigation and hydro power generation is constantly replenished by the Walawe River fed by the watersheds of the heavily forested Peak Wilderness sanctuary, the Horton Plains Nature reserve and the Haputale springs. The reservoir with introduced fish stocks is being developed as a breeding ground for aquatic birds. It has a large herd of Wild Elephants. The huge man made reservoir with a surface area 3405 ha is within the park making its total area 32,315ha.  

Large herds of elephants feeding in the grasslands, Sambar deer, spotted deer, wild boar, water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) have all found a new home. Other mammals found are toque macaque (Maccaca sinica), common langur, jackal, toddy cat, leopard, black- napped hare, the small Indian civet cat, endemic golden palm civet cat, and plenty more.  

Kumana National Park  

Located in the southeast corner of Sri Lanka, the 18,149 hectare Kumana (Yala East) National Park is a well-known eco tourism attraction and bird sanctuary where a multitude of birds breed and roost. One of the most significant features of the park is the ‘Kumana Villu’ – a 200 hectare natural swamp lake, fed by the ‘Kumbukkan Oya’ through a half mile long narrow channel. It is at this mangrove swamp that many water birds nest in May and June. Regular sightings include such species of bird as pelicans, painted storks, spoonbills, white ibis, herons, Egrets, and little cormorants.  

The very rare black-necked stork can also be spotted in the swamp with luck. The prolific birdlife found in the wet water lands with a vegetation mainly of Mangroves, Kumbuk trees and the Karan fern is must for bird watchers.  

Bundala National Park

The park in South East of Sri Lanka is an impressive sight for its diversity and the profusion of aquatic bird life dependant on the bio rich lagoons spread around it.  

It is an important wetland sanctuary for migratory shore-birds. One of them is the Greater Flamingo that makes Bundala a carnival of colour. The park covers approximately 6000 hectares of salty lagoons, salt pans, and thorny scrub jungle.  

Of the 150 bird species listed in the park, all species of water birds found are guests in the country who visit every year. The rare Black-necked stork and the Great Thick-knee are VIP guests you must meet. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Spoonbill, Red Shank, Green Shank, Spot-billed Pelican, Blue-faced Malkoha, Brahminy Kite, Crested Hawk eagle and Brown Shrike are all to be found relaxing and require to be treated with respect.  

Wasgamuwa National Park  

The park is the result of an expansion of a Strict Natural Reserve that existed since 1938 on the foot hills of the Knuckles Mountain Range, one of the bio diversity super hot spots of the world. The expansion was again an effort by Sri Lanka to reconcile development with conservation. It is the new home of wild life displaced by the Mahaweli River Division.  

The population of a variety of large mammals including the inevitable elephant is oblivious to all else except the streams and rivers fed by the lush mountains. More than fifty species of butterflies of which nine are endemic inspire painters and photographers and spurn collectors. So watch out for them, and feast your eyes. Rejoice in the thought that you decided on a Sri Lanka Holiday.  

Wilpattu National Park  

It is a huge expanse of varied topography with an area of 131, 693 hectares. Its contours range from sea level on the north western coast to 152 metres above it. The park has many Villus or watery grassland and lakes. It is the main topographical feature of the Park. They are flat or concaved and basin like, and holds rain water. The west of the park is deep forest. Littoral vegetation with salt grass and low scrub can be found near the beach. Further inland is the monsoon forest with tall trees with large canopied foliage. Three of the big five fauna attractions of Sri Lanka are found here: the elephant, the Sloth Bear and the Leopard. Its Mammals and Bird varieties are the stuff of wildlife legend that you can recount for years after your Sri Lanka vacation.  

The Ocean Sanctuary  

Whale and Dolphin Watching  

The ocean around Sri Lanka is within the Indian Ocean marine sanctuary declared by the International Whaling Commission. Of the 80 species of cetaceans identified 26 are found in the waters off Sri Lanka. Whale and Dolphin watching are a unique attraction in Sri Lanka year round. The South West coast of Sri Lanka is the Oceanic amphitheatre for the performing Whales and Dolphins from November to March while it moves to the East coast from June to September along with the same stars of the troupe. Dondra Head and Mirissa on the south coast of Sri Lanka are the best locations to see Blue Whales in the world while Kalpiya is not far behind. Most of them are moving from their feeding grounds off the coast of Trincomalee in the Bay of Bengal to their South West monsoon feeding grounds in the Arabian Sea. A whale of time watching them during your well earned Sri Lanka Holiday is a sure thing!