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Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe, Sri Lanka

 

One of the most impressive animals in the open park reserve are the 400 or more elephants that can be easily seen because of the openness of the environment. There is very little to obscure the view of the various inhabitants of the park.It is most famous for the many elephants that live there (about 400 in total). During a visit, it is not unusual to see whole herds of adults and young elephants– feeding or bathing and playing in the water! In addition to this main attraction, the park is home to many water buffalo, water monitor lizards, sambar deer, monkeys and the occasional leopard, as well as being an exciting location for bird enthusiasts. 
 
 
The Udawalawa national park was established on 30 th July 1972.It lies in the lower catchment of Udawalawa Reservoir in the country's Intermediate Lowland region. This area falls into two administrative districts in two provinces. The parkland on the right bank of Walawe ganga is within Ratnapura district in the province of sabaragamuwa and the parkland on the left bank falls within Moneragala district in the province of Uva.
 
Another fascinating creature that can be found here are the Leopards that roam the area, though it is very difficult to spot this predator as leopards generally tend to hunt only at night.
 
Other animals that can be found here include Crocodiles, Water Buffalo, Jackals and Grey Langurs.
 
Various birds also inhabit or visit the park showcasing the ecological diversity that can be found here.  This includes birds of prey like the White Bellied Sea Eagle, Changeable Eagle Hawk, Fish Eagle, and Crested Serpent Eagle. Birds of Prey are also joined by a variety of land birds including the Pied Cuckoo, Indian Peafowl, Malabar Pied Hornbill and Indian Roller.
 
Plant life is also abundant here and visitors will see grassland and thorn scrub. Trees that grow here include Satin, Ebony, Ehala and many others.
 
The climate in the park is characterized by a seasonal rainfall and uniformly high temperature conditions. The average annual rainfall is about 1500mm in the south end, and it gradually increases towards the north. The annual average temperature is about 32 C.
 
There is much to see in the Udawalawe National Park and a short amount of time to see it in. So, when choosing your accommodation you need to look at options that do not require that much travel time. With Big Game Safari accommodation options your tented safari camp will be set up  within a 25 minute drive to the park entrance and just 200m away from its boundaries. The campsite, which is in a semi wilderness area overlooking a small lake, is frequently visited by wild elephants.
 
 
A visit to Udawalawe National Park presents an exciting opportunity to walk through nature in its own habitat. Take a safari at this national park, and embark on a journey like none other.

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