UDA WALAWA NATIONAL PARK
Uda walawe National Park in Sri lanka’s South -central sector, is the area that most popular as game park. Wildlife reports say there are about 500 elephants in the park and they often roam in herds of up to 100 100 Leopards, buffalo , deer and sloth bears keep them company along with mongooses, bandicoots, foxes , water monitor lizards and crocodiles, A half -day tour in your own private Jeep with driver and guide is the best way to see the 30,821 hectares of protected area parked on the Uda Walawe Reservoir.
MAMMALS
The Elephant Transit Home in Uda walawe rehabilitates orphaned elephant calves before releasing them back into the wild. Visitors can watch the orphaned calves being fed, from the safety of a viewing platform, at one of the four daily feeding sessions, held every three hours from 9.AM until 6.PM the Elephant Transit Home is connected to Uda walawe National Park, for much of the day, the orphaned elephants live in the park , in preparation for their eventual release into the wild . To see the calves and large herds of wild elephants in this natural setting, go on a morning or evening Jeep Safari into Uda walawe National Park.
MAMMALS
Uda walawe is undoubtably the best place in Sri Lanka to see wild Asian Elephants throughout the year. Unlike other parks, Uda walawe does not have a seasonal variation in elephant numbers and it is easy to encounter a few of the at any time of year .morning and evenings are the best time to visit the park and late evenings give the best lighting for photography with amazing sun sets. Other mammals that can be seen include wild Boar, spotted Deer, Barking Deer , jackal , sambar, water Buffalo , Black-naped Hare , the endemic Toque Macaque And Gray Langers . If lucky, you can also see Leopard and some of the other smaller cats like Fishing cat and jungle cat.
BIRDS
Uda walawe can be one of the best places to see the Dry zone avifauna of Sri Lanka. By speaking just two days in the park you can easily see over a 100 species during the migrant session. Uda walawe is specially known for its many species of Raptors. Some of the common birds seen include spot-billed pelican, Little cormorant, Grey Heron , Indian Pond Heron , Cattel Egret, Large Egret , Little Egret, intermediate Egret , painted stork, woolly-necked stork, Yellow wattled Lapwing, Green Bee-eater, crested Tree-Swift, common , White-throated, pied and stork-billed kingfisher, orange breasted Green pigeon , Ceylon Green pigeon, Ceylon Grey Hornbill, crimson backed woodpecker, Black-shouldered kite, Brahaminy Kite, White-bellied sea Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle , Serpent Eagle , migrant included Booted Eagle , common kestrel, Harries, Rosy starlings, Black- capped kingfisher, Wood sand piper, common sand piper, Little Ringed plover , whiskered Tern , Yellow Wagtail, Forest wagtail and citrain Wagtail.
BUTTERFLIES
Being in the Dry Zone Uda walawe is home to many species of butterflies of Sri Lanka including the beautiful Banded peacock that is attached to the host plant the stain Tree which is found in the park. Other species found here include the common jezebel, common Indian crow, many species of Yelliws and white common Mormon and in the riverine forest areas Common Blue-bottle can also be seen. Uda walawe has become a haven for Butterflies in the resent past with the large number of Lantan trees which have taken over the vegetation of park. This being an invasive species to the park it is considered a pest, extensive work is being carried out by the park authorities husband this tree. It can not be eaten by any of the herbivores in the park and competes with the endemic trees. However the flowers the Lantan are a big favorite of all the butterflies and the birds.