Gal Oya National Park

Localization

Eastern part of Central Sri Lanka, close to Ampara

Access

Easy

Characteristic

259 km²; Forested and rocky area situated below the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. Important river Gal Oya and three smaller rivers flow through the park. Large artificial water tank (dam) inside the park boundaries. Typical ecosystems: mixed evergreen forest (about 45% park area) and grasslands (about 30%).

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

32 mammal species

Primates - Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecidae): Grey Langur; Toque Macaque (endemic subspecies)

Rodents - Squirrels (Sciuridae): Indian Palm Squirrel

Carnivores - Bears (Ursidae): Sloth Bear

- Cats (Felidae): Leopard

Elephants - Elephants (Elephantidae): Asian Elephant (population of 260 to 300 animals)

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

- Deers (Cervidae): 3 species of deers

- Cows, Buffaloes (Bovidae): Water Buffalo

Birds:

about 150 bird species

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

- Pelicans (Pelecanidae): Spot-billed Pelican

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

- Storks (Ciconiidae): Woolly- necked Stork

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

Birds of Prey - Ospreys (Pandionidae): Osprey

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Grey-headed Fish-Eagle; White-bellied Fish-Eagle; Black-shouldered Kite; Brahminy Kite; Crested Serpent-Eagle

Galliformes - Partridges, Pheasants and Quails (Phasianidae): Pained Francolin; Indian Peafowl; Ceylon Spurfowl

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

Charadriiformes - Jacanas (Jacanidae): Pheasant-tailed Jacana

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Red-wattled Lapwing

- Terns (Sternidae): Whiskered Tern

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Spotted Dove; Green Imperial-Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Ceylon Hanging-Parrot; Rose-ringed Parakeet

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Asian Koel; Red-faced Malkoha

Apodiformes - Swifts (Apodidae): Indian Swiftlet

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): White-throated Kingfisher

- Bee-eaters (Meropidae): Blue-tailed Bee-eater

- Hornbills (Bucerotidae): Malabar Grey-Hornbill; Malabar Pied-Hornbill

Piciformes - Barbets (Capitonidae): Brown-headed Barbet

Perching Birds - Pittas (Pittidae): Indian Pitta

- Larks (Alaudidae):

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Barn Swallow

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

- Shrikes (Laniidae): Brown Shrike

- Drongos (Dicruridae): White-bellied Drongo

- Trushes and Chats (Turdidae): Oriental Magpie-Robin; Black-backed Robin

- Starlings (Sturnidae): Common Myna

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae): Grey Wagtail

- Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae): Red-vented Bulbul

- Ioras (Aegithinidae): Common Iora

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

- Babblers (Timaliidae): Brown-capped Babbler; Yellow-billed Babbler

- Paradise Flycatchers (Monarchidae): Asian Paradise-Flycatcher

- Old World Warblers (Sylviidae): Common Tailorbird

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

- Waxbills, Mannikins, Munias and allied (Estrildidae): Scaly-breasted Munia

Reptiles:

Lizards and Snakes - Agamas (Agamidae): Calotes spp.

- Skinks (Scincidae): Mabuya spp.

- Monitors (Varanidae): Common Water Monitor

- Boas, Pythons (Boidae): Indian Python

- Colubrids (Colubridae): Asiatic Rat Snake (Orthriophis taeniurus); Ptyas mucosa

- Elapidae: Indian Cobra

- Vipers (Viperidae): Russell´s Viper (Daboia russelli)

Chelonia - Bataguridae: Indian Black Turtle (Melanochelys trijuga)

Crocodilia - Corocdiles (Crocodylidae): Marsh Crocodile

Amphibians:

Frogs - Rhacophoridae: Rhacophorus cruciger

- Frogs (Ranidae): Rana gracilis, R. limnocharis and R. tigrina

- Toads (Bufonidae): Gold Toad (Bufo melanostictus)

Fish:

Cypriniformes - Minnows and Carps (Cyprinidae): Common Carp (introduced)

Catfish - Sheatfishes (Siluridae): Freshwater Shark (Wallago attu)

Insects:

Butterflies - Swallowtails and Apollos (Papilionidae): Crimson Rose  (Atrophaneura hector)

- Brushfoots (Nymphalidae): Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis vulgaris)

Plants:

Dicotyledons:

Magnoliales - Annonaceae: Polyalthia sp. (bush layer)

Malvales - Tiliaceae:  Berrya cordifolia (canopy layer)

Rosales - Rhamnaceae: Jujube Ziziphus sp. (bush - grasslands)

- Ulmaceae:  Hackberry Celtis cinnamomea (bush layer)

Fabales - Fabaceae: Malabar Kino (Pterocarpus marsupium) (tree - grasslands)

Malpighiales - Euphorbiaceae: Emblic Phyllanthus emblica (bush - grasslands); Mallotus repandus (bush layer); Spurge Euphorbia longana (canopy layer)

Sapindales - Anacardiaceae: Mango Mangifera zeylanica (canopy layer)

Myrtales - Combretaceae: Myrobalans Terminalia bellirica and T. chebula (trees - grasslands)

Ericales - Ebenaceae: Diospyros spp. (canopy layer)

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Bermuda Grass Cynodon dactylon; Cogongrass Imperata cylindrica; Goosegrass Eleusine sp.; Kangaroo Grass Themeda sp.; Lemon grass Cymbopogon confertiflorus; Lovegrass Eragrostis sp.; Signalgrass Brachiaria sp. - all typical grasslands species

Possible activities

Sailing safari on the water dam among small islands; walking and birdwatching on bird islands

Jeep safari riding through the park

Note

Best time to visit III-VII

Many historical monuments  in the park area

Picture - source panoramio.com