Lunugamvehera National Park

Localization

Southeast Sri Lanka; between Uda Walawe and Yala National Parks

Access

Easy

Characteristic

235 km²; Flat lowland area. Typical ecosystems: dry-mixed evergreen forest, large artificial water reservoir, grasslands. Park territory serves as a natural corridor between Yala and Uda Walawe National Parks.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

43 mammal species

Insectivores - Shrews (Soricidae): White-toothed Shrew Suncus sp.

Primates - Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecidae):Grey Langur, Toque Macaque

Pholidota - Pangolins (Manidae): Indian Pangolin

Lagomorphs - Rabbits and Hears (Leporidae):Black-naped Hare

Rodents - Mice (Muridae): Ceylon Spiny Mouse; Fawn-colored Mouse; Indian Bush Rat; Soft-furred Rat; Tatera sp.

- Squirrels (Sciuridae): Indian Giant Flying Squirrel; Indian Palm Squirrel

- Old World Porcupines (Hystricidae): Indian Crested Porcupine

Carnivores - Bears (Ursidae): Sloth Bear

- Dogs (Canidae): Golden Jackal

- Civets (Viverridae): Small Indian Civet; Asian Palm Civet; Golden Palm Civet

- Mongoose (Herpestidae): Indian Gray Mongoose; Ruddy Mongoose; South Indian Mongoose

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

Elephants - Elephants (Elephantidae): Asian Elephant

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

- Mouse Deers (Tragulidae): Lesser Mouse Deer

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

- Cows, Buffaloes (Bovidae): Water Buffalo

Birds:

184 bird species

- Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Great Cormorant; Indian Cormorant; Lesser Cormorant

- Pelicans (Pelecanidae): Spot-billed Pelican

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Cattle Egret; Great White Egret; Intermediate Egret; Little Egret; Grey Heron; Striated Heron; Black-crowned Night-Heron; Indian Pond-Heron

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

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

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

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Eurasian Kestrel

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

Gruiformes - Buttonquails and Hemipodes (Turnicidae): Barred Buttonquail

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

Charadriiformes - Jacanas (Jacanidae): Pheasant-tailed Jacana

- Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black-winged Stilt

- Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Common Greenshank; Common Sandpiper; Marsh Sandpiper; Wood Sandpiper

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Red-wattled Lapwing; Little Ringed Plover

- Terns (Sternidae): Gull-billed Tern; Whiskered Tern

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Emerald Dove; Spotted Dove; Orange-breasted Green-Pigeon; Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon; Green Imperial-Pigeon; Rock Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Rose-ringed Parakeet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Brown Fish Owl

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

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

- Crested or Tree Swifts (Hemiprocnidae): Crested Treeswift

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

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

- Rollers (Coraciidae): Indian Roller

- Hoopoes (Upupidae): Eurasian Hoopoe

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

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

- Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Greater Flamebeck; Brown-capped Woodpecker; Yellow-crowned Woodpecker 

Perching Birds - Pittas (Pittidae): Indian Pitta

- Larks (Alaudidae): Rufous-winged Lark; Oriental Skylark; Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark

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

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

- Shrikes (Laniidae): Brown Shrike; Long-taled Shrike

- Trushes and Chats (Turdidae): Oriental magpie-Robin; Black-backed Robin (endemic subspecies)

- Starlings (Sturnidae): Common Myna

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae): Paddyfield Pipit; Pipit Anthus richardi; Forest Wagtail; Yellow Wagtail

- Cuckoo Shrikes and Minivets (Campephagidae): Black-headed Cuckooshrike; Small Minivet

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

- Leafbirds (Chloropseidae): Golden-fronted Leafbird

- Ioras (Aegithinidae): Common Iora

- Sunbirds (Nectariniidae): Long-billed Sunbird; Purple-rumped Sunbird (endemic subspecies)

- Flowerpeckers (Dicaeidae): Pale-billed Flowerpecker

- Babblers (Timaliidae): Brown-capped Babbler; Oriental Yellow-eyed Babbler; Yellow-billed Babbler (endmic subspecies)

- Paradise Flycatchers (Monarchidae): Asian Paradise-Flycatcher (endemic subspecies)

- Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae): Brown-breasted Flycatcher

- Old World Warblers (Sylviidae): Ashy Prinia (endemic subspecies); Grey-breasted Prinia; Plain Prinia (endemic subspecies); Blyth´s Reed Warbler; Fan-tailed Warbler; Greenish Warbler

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

- Waxbills, Mannikins, Munias and allied (Estrildidae): Black-headed Munia; White-throated Munia

- Weavers (Ploceidae): Baya Weaver

Reptiles:

33 reptile species

Lizards and Snakes - Agamas (Agamidae): Common Green Forest Lizard; Oriental Garden Lizard

Crocodilia - Corocdiles (Crocodylidae): Marsh Crocodile

Amphibians:

12 amphibian species

Frogs - Frogs (Ranidae): Rana gracilis

- Toads (Bufonidae): Atukorale´s Dwarf Toad Bufo atukoralei

- Pyxicephalidae:  Tomopterna breviceps

Plants:

Dicotyledons:

Malpighiales - Euphorbiaceae: Drypetes sepiaria,

Sapindales - Sapindaceae:  Lac Tree Schleichera oleosa

- Anacardiaceae:  Lannea coromandelia

Ericales - Sapotaceae: Manilkara hexandra

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Bermuda-Grass Cynodon dactylon, Chloris montana; Lovegrass Eragrostis sp.; Murainagrass Ischaemum sp.

 

Possible activities

Birdwatching, nature observing

Jeep safari riding through the park.

Note

Best time to visit IV-IX

Picture - source flickr.com