Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a national nature park and a
biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has
been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The
hilly virgin rainforest, part of the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests Eco region,
was saved from the worst of commercial logging by its inaccessibility, and was
designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988.
The reserve's name translates as Kingdom of the Lion. The reserve is only 21 km
from east to west, and a maximum of 7 km from north to south, but it is a
treasure trove of endemic species, including trees, insects, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and mammals. Because of the dense vegetation, wildlife is not
as easily seen as at dry-zone national parks such as Yala. There are elephants
and the leopards are rarely seen. The most common larger mammal is the endemic
Purple-faced Languor.
An interesting phenomenon is that birds tend to move in
mixed feeding flocks, invariably led by the fearless Greater Racket-tailed
Drongo and the noisy Orange-billed Babbler. Of Sri Lanka's 26 endemic birds,
the 20 rainforest species all occur here, including the elusive Red-faced
Malkoha, Green-billed Coucal and Sri Lanka Blue Magpie. Reptiles include the endemic Green pit viper and Hump-nosed
vipers, and there are a large variety of amphibians, especially tree frogs.
Invertebrates include the endemic Common Birdwing butterfly and the inevitable
leeches.
How to get there: Colombo to go to Horana, Matugama,
Kalawana, Weddagala and enter the forest through Kudawa entrance at
northwestern edge of the forest.
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| Sinharaja Forest Reserve - Sri Lanka |
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| Sinharaja Forest Reserve - Sri Lanka |
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| Sinharaja Forest Reserve - Sri Lanka |
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| Sinharaja Forest Reserve - Sri Lanka |
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| Sinharaja Forest Reserve - Sri Lanka |
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