WILDLIFE – SRI LANKA
Despite its relatively small size, Sri Lanka possesses a high level of biodiversity. A noteworthy feature of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity is the remarkable high proportion of endemic species among its flora and fauna: 23% of the flowering plants and 16% of the island’s mammals are endemic. Sri Lanka has a wide range of topographic and climatic variation, and this contributes to the special features of its biodiversity.
BIODIVERSITY HOT SPOT
Sri Lanka has been identified by the environmental activist group Conservation International as one of 25 biodiversity hot spots in the world. Sri Lanka’s tropical rainforest ecosystem is considered exceptionally rich in animal and plant species found nowhere else
NATIONAL PARKS
There are currently 26 national parks in Sri Lanka, which cover an area of 5,734 km2 (2,214 mi²). Wilpattu is the largest and one of the oldest national parks in Sri Lanka and among the top national parks world-renowned for its leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) population. Yala, Udawalawe, Kumana, Bundala, Minneriya, Kaudulla, Gal Oya & Horton Plains are among other popular national parks in Sri Lanka.
THE BIG 5
Blue whale, elephant, leopard, sloth bear and sperm whale are Sri Lanka’s greatest wildlife attractions among the country’s plethora of fauna and are known as Sri Lanka’s Big 5 – with an extremely high strike rate (chance of spotting).
BIRDWATCHING
For a country as small as Sri Lanka, having 33 endemic species and 68 endemic subspecies of birds with species endemism of 11% demonstrates why it is one of the finest birding destinations in the world. The country is home to more than 500 species of birds, of which 236 are breeding residents, 203 are migrants, and the rest are vagrants. Sri Lanka’s diverse and favourable climatic conditions and natural habitats such as forests, scrublands, grasslands, coastal wetlands and agricultural lands attract birds throughout the year. It is possible to see more than a hundred species of birds within five to six days.
