Book a Safari in Udawalawe Sri Lanka

About Udawalawe National park

Lying in-between one of wet and dry zone, boundary of Sri Lanka, Udawalawe National Park consist with Plains, mountainous, marshes, forests and grasslands. Udawalawe is a smaller park, Nonetheless, given its smaller size, it has a greater density of animal to it's size ratio, notably elephants. covering approximately 8.6 km (5.3 mi) in length, with a maximum perpendicular width of 7 km (4.3 mi) Man-made Udawalawe Reservoir adds heavenly beauty to the park, intriguing it is an Elephant magnet. with a herd of about 250 believed to be permanently resident only because of the Udawalawe Reservoir. Park is a very important habitat for waterbirds as well. If you are a bird watcher this a clearly, not-to-miss, place.

Before the park is declared as a protected habitat, the Land area is used by local farmers to grow their crops by the method called shifting cultivation (China farming) now the park is a strict nature reserve. Park came to be mainly because, construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir, to provide sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the reservoir. You can sill see the remnant of human intervention, dead, expired trees standing still in the depth of the reservoir, visually reminding once this is an extent of forest.

Udawalawe National Park's annual temperature is about 27–28 °C (81–82 °F) and humidity varies from 70% to 82%. Mostly soil is reddish-brown. There is an abandoned teak plantation which was planted before the declaration of the park. Udawalawe is home to many Species, particularly 184 birds (33 of which are migratory), 135 species of butterflies, 33 reptiles, 12 amphibians, 21 fish and 43 mammals.

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Flora that can be found in Udawalawe National Park

Memecylon petiolatum, Hopea cordifolia, Erythroxylon zeylanicum, and Jasminum angustifolium are endemic floral species that can be found in the Udawalawe National Park.Terminalia arjuna and Hopea cordifolia are found along the river. Imperata cylindrica and Panicum maximum are important food sources for the elephants. Other floral species are Berrya cordifolia, Chloroxylon swietenia, Adina cordifolia, Diospyros ebenum, Schleichera oleosa, Diospyros ovalifolia and Vitex pinnata. Common grass species are Grewia tiliifolia bushes and Cymbopogon confertiflorus. There are some medicinal value Plants found in the Udawalawe Park such as Phyllanthus emblica and Terminalia bellirica

Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home

The Udawalawe Elephant Transfer Home's primary objective is to rehabilitate orphaned elephant calves and then release into the Natural habitat. With the help of the Born Free Foundation, Department of Wildlife Conservation establish the Elephant Transit home, close to Udawalawe National Park, about 5km west of the Park entrance. Visitors can watch the elephants being fed, although they are not allowed to get up close and personal with the elephants. There is a viewing platform for visitors to enjoy jambos playing. It is best to combine a visit with a safari.