Flood Plains National Park

Localization

Northeastern part of the Central Province Sri Lanka, close to Polonnaruwa

Access

Easy

Characteristic

 170 km²; Flat ladscape without any higher hills closely above the sea level. This park was created along part of the River Mahaweli, the largest river in Sri Lanka, with the river flowing along the middle of the park. Typical ecosystems: system of wetlands composed of river channels, riverine marshes, 38 lagoons, mangroves, lagoons, and tidal creeks associated with the Mahaweli River, seasonally flooded grasslands . Its importance is because it creates a link between the Wasgomuwa National Park and the Somawathiya Chaitiya National Park, providing a safe corridor of passage for migrating wildlife, especially elephants between the two parks. Important refuge for a wide variety of resident and migratory waterfowl species.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Carnivores - Mustelidae: Eurasian River Otter

- Dogs (Canidae): Golden Jackal

- Cats (Felidae): Fishing Cat; Jungle Cat; Leopard; Rusty-spotted Cat

Elephants - Elephants (Elephantidae): Asian Elephant (large herds)

Even-toed ungulates - Pigs (Suidae): Wild Boar

- Mouse Deers (Tragulidae): Indian Spotted Mouse Deer

- Deers (Cervidae): Axis Deer; Sambar Deer

- Cows, Buffaloes (Bovidae): Water Buffalo

Birds:

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae):  Little Grebe

Pelecaniformes - Anhingas (Anhingidae): Oriental Darter

- Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Indian Cormorant; Little Cormorant

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Yellow Bittern; Cattle Egret; Great White Egret; Intermediate Egret; Little Egret; Indian Pond Heron; Grey Heron

- Storks (Ciconiidae): Lesser Adjutant; Asian Openbill; Painted Stork; Woolly-necked Stork

- Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Black-headed Ibis

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Lesser Whistling-Duck; Cotton Pygmy-goose

Birds of Prey - Ospreys (Pandionidae):  Osprey

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Grey-headed Fish-Eagle; Oriental Honey-buzzard; Black-winged Kite; Brahminy Kite; Shikra

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae):  Peregrine Falcon

Galliformes - Partridges, Pheasants and Quails (Phasianidae):  Ceylon Junglefowl; Indian Peafowl

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae):  Purple Swamphen; White-breasted Waterhen

Charadriiformes - Jacanas (Jacanidae): Pheasant-tailed Jacana

- Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black-winged Stilt

- Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Marsh Sandpiper

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Red-wattled Lapwing; Golden Plover

- Terns (Sternidae): Whiskered Tern

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae):  Emerald Dove; Spotted Dove; Rock Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Rose-ringed Parakeet

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos , Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Greater Coucal; Asian Koel

Apodiformes - Swifts (Apodidae): Asian Palm-Swift; Little Swift

- Crested or Tree Swifts (Hemiprocnidae): Crested Treeswift

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher; Common Kingfisher; White-throated Kingfisher

- Bee-eaters (Meropidae): Blue-tailed Bee-eater; Little Green Bee-eater

- Rollers (Coraciidae): Indian Roller

- Hornbills (Bucerotidae): Ceylon Grey-Hornbill

Piciformes - Barbets (Capitonidae): Brown-headed Barbet; Coppersmith Barbet; Crimson-fronted Barbet

Perching Birds - Pittas (Pittidae): Indian Pitta

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Barn Swallow; Red-rumped Swallow

- Crows and Jays (Corvidae):  House Crow; Large-billed Crow

- Shrikes (Laniidae): Brown Shrike

- Helmet Shrikes (Prionopidae): Common Woodshrike

- Wood Swallows (Artamiidae): Ashy Woodswallow

- Trushes and Chats (Turdidae): Oriental Magpie-Robin; Indian Robin; Blue Rock-Thrush; Orange-headed Thrush

- Starlings (Sturnidae): Common Myna

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae): Paddyfield Pipit

- Cuckoo Shrikes and Minivets (Campephagidae): Small Minivet

- Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae): Red-vented Bulbul; White-browed Bulbul

- Leafbirds (Chloropseidae): Blue-winged Leafbird; Golden-fronted Leafbird

- Ioras (Aegithinidae): Common Iora

- Sunbirds (Nectariniidae): Purple Sunbird; Purple-rumped Sunbird

- Flowerpeckers (Dicaeidae): Pale-billed Flowerpecker; Thick-billed Flowerpecker

- White-eyes (Zosteropidae): Oriental White-eye

- Paradise Flycatchers (Monarchidae): Asian Paradise-Flycatcher

- Old World Warblers (Sylviidae):  Zitting Cisticola; Grey-breasted Prinia; Jungle Prinia; Plain Prinia; Common Tailorbird

- Old World Orioles (Oriolidae): Black-hooded Oriole

- Sparrows (Passeridae): House Sparrow

- Weavers (Ploceidae): Baya Weaver

Reptiles:

Lizards and Snakes - Monitors (Varanidae): Common Water Monitor Varanus salvator

Chelonia - Bataguridae: Indian Black Turtle Melanochelys trijuga

- Soft-shelled Turtles  (Trionychidae): Indian Soft-shelled Turtle Lissemys punctata,

Crocodilia - Corocdiles (Crocodylidae): Marsh Crocodile Crocodylus palustris

Fish:

Cypriniformes - Minnows and Carps (Cyprinidae):  Flying Barb Esomus thermoicos; Garra ceylonensis

- Hillstream and River Loaches (Balitoridae): Banded Mountain Loach Schistura notostigma

Catfish - Sheatfishes (Siluridae): Freshwater Shark Wallag attu

- Airbreathing or Labyrinth Catfishes (Clariidae): Clarias Catfish Clarias batrachus

Plants:

Ferns:

Polypodiales - Pteridaceae:  Golden Leatherfern Acrostichum aureum

Salviniales - watermosses (Salviniaceae): Kariba-weed; Feathered Mosquitofern Azolla pinnata

Dicotyledons:

Caryophyllales - Chenopodiaceae:  Seepweed Suaeda monoica

Malvales - Malvaceae: Sea Hibiscus Hibiscus tiliaceus

Malpighiales - mangroves (Rhizophoraceae): Rhizophora mucronata

- Euphorbiaceae:

Sapindales - Flindersiaceae: Chloroxylon sweitenia

Myrtales - water chestnuts (Trapaceae): water chestnut Trapa bispinosa

- Sonneratiaceae: Sonneratia apetala

- Combretaceae: Lumnitzera racemosa; Tropical Almond Terminalia arjuna

Ericales - Sapotaceae: Manilkara hexandra

- Aegicerataceae: Aegiceras corniculatum

Gentianales - Rubiaceae: Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea

Lamiales - Acanthaceae: Acanthus ilicifolius

- Mangroves (Avicenniaceae): Grey Mangrove Avicennia marina

Asterales - Menyanthaceae: floatingheart Nymphoides spp.

Monocotyledons:

Alismatales - Araceae: water lettuce Pistia stratiotes

- Aponogetonaceae:  Aponogeton crispus,  A. jacobsenii and A. natans

Possible activities

Birdwatching + nature observation

Note

Best time for visit V-IX 

Many cultural and historical monuments in the park

Picture - source infitrolanka.com