Udawalawe National Park, a Nature Reserve

Udawalawe National Park sprawls over 30,000 hectares along the border of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, about a five-hour drive from Colombo. The Park, open to visitors when accompanied by a tracker, was formed as a sanctuary for wild animals displaced during the construction the Udawalawe Reservoir. Its vegetation is influenced by its the wet and dry zone boundaries, a range of plains highlighting its topography. Rain falls during the months of October to January and March to May.

The park is known for elephants, water buffaloes, wild boar, spotted deer and fishing cats and jungle cats. Endemic birds including the Ceylon Junglefowl, Ceylon Spurfowl and the Ceylon Grey Hornbill are to be seen and other bird species such as the Spot-billed Pelican, Little Cormorant, Grey Heron and the Indian Pond Heron frequent the park.