Lahugala National Park

Localization

East Sri Lanka, 16 km west of Pottuvil

Access

Easy

Characteristic

1554 ha; Flat area in coastal dry zone of Sri Lanka. Typical ecosystems: savannah covered with stiff succulent grasses, secondary dry bushy forest, solitary rock outcrops. This national park makes a part of the elephant natural migratory corridor between Yala and Gal Oya national parks. There are three water tanks within Lahugala national park - groups of wild elephants and many water birds concentrate around the tanks.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

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

Pholidota - Pangolins (Manidae): Indian Pangolin

Lagomorphs - Rabbits and Hears (Leporidae): Indian Hare

Rodents - Squirrels (Sciuridae): Indian Palm Squirrel

Carnivores - Bears (Ursidae): Sloth Bear

- Dogs (Canidae): Golden Jackal

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

Elephants - Elephants (Elephantidae): Asian Elephant

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

- Deers (Cervidae): Axis Deer; Barking Deer; Sambar Deer

Birds:

Pelecaniformes - Anhingas (Anhingidae): Oriental Darter

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

- Pelicans (Pelecanidae): Spot-billed Pelican

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

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

- Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Black-headed Ibis; Eurasian Spoonbill

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Comb Duck (endemic subspecies); Garganey; Lesser Whistling-Duck

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

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

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

Charadriiformes - Jacanas (Jacanidae): Pheasant-tailed Jacana

- Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black-winged Stilt

- Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Redshank; Curlew Sandpiper; Green Sandpiper; Marsh Sandpiper; Wood Sandpiper; Little Stint; Ruddy Turnstone

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Pacific Golden Plover; Red-wattled Lapwing; Yellow-wattled Lapwing; Lesser Sand Plover

- Thick-knees, Dikkops and Stone Curlews (Burhinidae): Great Thick-knee

- Terns (Sternidae): Great Crested-Tern; Lesser Crested-Tern; Caspian Tern; Gull-billed Tern; Little Tern; Whiskered Tern

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

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Rose-ringed Parakeet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Brown Fish Owl; Jungle Owlet

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Greater Coucal; Pied Cuckoo; Asian Koel; Red-faced Malkoha (endemic)

Apodiformes - Swifts (Apodidae): Indian Swiftlet

- Crested or Tree Swifts (Hemiprocnidae): Crested Treeswift

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Common Kinfisher; Stork-billed Kingfisher; White-throated Kingfisher

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

- Hoopoes (Upupidae): Eurasian Hoopoe

- Hornbills (Bucerotidae): Ceylon Grey-Hornbill

Piciformes - Barbets (Capitonidae): Brown-headed Barbet

Perching Birds - Pittas (Pittidae): Indian Pitta

- Larks (Alaudidae): Rufous-winged Lark

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

- Crows and Jays (Corvidae): Ceylon Blue Magpie; 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): Paddyfield Pipit; Forest Wagtail; Grey Wagtail

- Cuckoo Shrikes and Minivets (Campephagidae): Small Minivet

- Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae): Red-vented Bulbul

- Ioras (Aegithinidae): Common Iora

- Sunbirds (Nectariniidae): Purple-rumped Sunbird

- Babblers (Timaliidae): Yellow-billed Babbler

- Paradise Flycatchers (Monarchidae): Asian Paradise-Flycatcher

- Old World Warblers (Sylviidae): Common Tailobird

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

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

Plants:

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Basketgrass (Oplismenus compositus) - Elephants´ favorite feed, growing around water tanks

Possible activities

Sri Lanka´s one of the best places for elephants observation and birdwatching

Note

Walking within the park is not allowed

An ancient temple ruins at the northern edge of the park; many other historical monuments around the park

Best time to visit VIII (dry season)

Picture - source tourslanka.com and angefire.com