Park&garden-Srilanka

Sri Lanka is one of the smallest, but biologically diverse countries in Asia.
Indeed, the country is listed by Conservation International as one of the
world’s 34 official “Biodiversity Hotspots”. In addition, The Sinharaja
Forest Reserve, the country’s last viable area of primary tropical
rainforest, is the seventh UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sri Lanka’s high
proportion of endemic species is remarkable. Take land crabs: all 51 species
are endemic.

Influenced by Buddhist respect for all living beings, Sri Lanka has a
well-entrenched conservation ethic. Indeed, Udawattakelle Sanctuary in
Kandy is probably the world’s oldest wilderness protected area. There are
12 National Parks and 52 Sanctuaries, which together account for 13% of
Sri Lanka’s land area.

A national park safari offers the chance to see some of Sri Lanka’s 92
mammals (16 endemic) - elephant, leopard, sloth bear, sambhur, spotted deer,
mouse- and barking-deer, porcupine, ant-eater, civet cat, giant squirrel,
and monkeys such as the macaque, purple-faced leaf monkey and grey langur.

Yala National Park is believed to have the world’s highest concentration of
leopards. Uda Walawe National Park is famous for its elephants, but
Minneriya National Park boasts the awesome dry season “Gathering”, in which
herds of elephants congregate to drink the region’s remaining water.