Lahugala Kitulana Forest Reserve

Home to a nearly 200 elephants who feeds on the flourishing grass lands around its main three tanks and numerous watering holes, LahugalaKitulana Forest Reserve is a 1554 hectare canvas of wildlife and archeology.

Formed mainly by a dry zone evergreen forest the reserve provides field after field of water straw grass, a favorite snack of the elephants while the three main reservoirs –Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa provide never ending opportunities of water sports to the elephants. The elephants share the reserve with other animals like endemic toque macaque, common languor, sloth bear, jackal, rusty spotted cat, fishing cat, leopard, wild bear, Indian muntjac deer, spotted deer, sambar, pangolin and black naped hare.The reservoirs and waterholes are also home to large number of local and migratory birds like pelican, purple heron, painted stork, lesser adjutant stork, white bellied sea eagle, grey headed fishing eagle, common kingfisher, stork billed kingfisher and white breasted kingfisher. Endemic birds like comb duck, rare red-faced malkoha and Sri Lankan Spur fowl too can be seen the park.The reptile inhabitants of the park include Black tailed python, flying snakes, Sri Lanka cat snake and Russell’s viper while the amphibians include endemics like Banded bull frog, Atukorale's Dwarf Toad and cricket frog. An electric fence is being built on the southern border of the park to protect the four neighbouring villages of wild elephant encroachment while the reserve itself is under the threat of poaching, logging and over grazing.

Things To Do: Wildlife, elephant watching, photography