Lunugamvehera National Park in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

 was declared in 1995, with the intention of protecting the catchment area

Drainage basin

A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...

 of the Lunugamvehera reservoir and wildlife of the area. The national park

National park

A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

 is an important habitat for water birds and elephants. The catchment area is vital to maintain the water levels of the five tanks in the down stream of Kirindi Oya and wetland characteristics

Wetland

A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....

 of Bundala National Park

Bundala National Park

Bundala National Park is an internationally important wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka. Bundala harbors 197 species of Birds, the highlight being the Greater Flamingo, which migrate in large flocks. Bundala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and redesignated to a...

. This national park also serves as a corridor

Wildlife corridor

A wildlife corridor or green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities . This allows an exchange of individuals between populations, which may help prevent the negative effects of inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity that often occur within...

 for elephants to migrate between Yala National Park

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Actually it consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public; and also adjoining parks. The blocks have individual names also, like Ruhuna National Park for the block 1 and Kumana National Park or...

 and Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, in Sri Lanka. The national park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir....

. The national park is situated 261 km (162.2 mi) southwest from Colombo

Colombo

Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

. After being closed because of the Sri Lankan civil war

Sri Lankan civil war

The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...

, the national park is now open to the general public.

Physical features

Lunugamvehera is in the Dry zone of Sri Lanka, therefore the park is exposed to annual drought

Drought

A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...

, relieved by the south western monsoon. The elevation of the park is 91 metres (298.6 ft). Out of 23,498 hectares of total land area 14 percent, that is 3283 ha, is land under the reservoir. Another 50 ha are two smaller reservoirs. Nearby Thanamalvila area receives a 1000 millimetres (39.4 in) of annual rainfall. Rainfall decreases from North to South and West to East across the national park. Mean annual temperature of Lunugamvehera is 30 °C (86 °F).

Flora

The forest of Lunugamvehera national park characterized by several forest layers. Mosaic of scrubland and grassland

Grassland

Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...

 make up these forests. Some of the plant species of the forest are Drypetes sepiaria, Manilkara hexandra

Manilkara hexandra

Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the Sapotaceae family that is native to much of south Asia Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the Sapotaceae family that is native to much of south Asia Manilkara hexandra is a species in the tribe Sapoteae, in the...

, Schleichera oleosa, Lannea coromandelica, Diospyros ovalifolia, Polyalthia korinti, Carmona microphylla, Croton lacciterus, and Coffea wightiana. Grassland area contains several species of grasses. Chloris montana, Cynodon dactylon

Cynodon dactylon

Cynodon dactylon , also known as Dūrvā Grass, Bermuda Grass, Dubo, Dog's Tooth Grass, Bahama Grass, Devil's Grass, Couch Grass, Indian Doab, Arugampul, Grama, and Scutch Grass, is a grass native to north and east Africa, Asia and Australia and southern Europe...

, Panicum maximum, Imperata cylindrica, Lantana camara

Lantana camara

Lantana camara, also known as Spanish Flag or West Indian Lantana, is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to the American tropics. It has been introduced into other parts of the world as an ornamental plant and is considered an invasive species in many...

, Chromolaena odorata

Chromolaena odorata

Chromolaena odorata is a species of flowering shrub in the sunflower family, Asteraceae. It is native to North America, from Florida and Texas to Mexico and the Caribbean, and has been introduced to tropical Asia, west Africa, and parts of Australia. Common names include Siam Weed, Christmas Bush,...

, Mimosa pudica

Mimosa pudica

Mimosa pudica , is a creeping annual or perennial herb often grown for its curiosity value: the compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken, re-opening minutes later...

, Carmona microphylla, and Securinega leucopyrus are common in abandoned chena

Chena

Chena may refer to:* Chena, Alaska, USA* Chena Hot Springs, Alaska, USA* Chena River, Alaska, USA* Chena, Ethiopia, a woreda or administrative government unit* Chena Mountain, chain of mountains near Santiago de Chile...

 lands. Teak

Teak

Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...

 and Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...

 plantations are now common in the forest.

Fauna

Fauna of the park includes 21 fish species, 12 amphibians, 33 reptiles, 183 birds and 43 mammals. Sri Lankan Elephant

Sri Lankan Elephant

The Sri Lankan Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian Elephant, and native to Sri Lanka. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...

, Water buffalo

Water buffalo

The water buffalo is a domesticated bovid widely kept in Asia, Europe and South America.Water buffalo can also refer to:*Wild water buffalo , the wild ancestor of the domestic water buffalo...

, Sri Lankan Sambar Deer

Sri lankan Sambar Deer

Sri Lankan Sambar Deer is a sub-species of Sambar Deer that lives in Sri Lanka. This subspecies is one of the largest Sambar Deer species with the largest antlers both in size and in body proportions. Large males weight up to 270-280 kg. Sri Lankan Sambar occurs in lowland dry forest, montane forest...

, Wild boar, Sri Lankan Spotted Chevrotain

Sri Lankan Spotted Chevrotain

The Sri Lankan Spotted Chevrotain or White-spotted Chevrotain is a species of even-toed ungulate in the Tragulidae family...

, Grizzled Giant Squirrel

Grizzled Giant Squirrel

The grizzled giant squirrel is a large tree squirrel in the genus Ratufa found in the highlands of the Central and Uva provinces of Sri Lanka, and in patches of riparian forest along the Kaveri River and in the hill forests in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of southern India...

, Sri Lankan Axis Deer

Sri lankan axis deer

The Sri Lankan axis deer or Ceylon Spotted Deer is a subspecies of axis deer that inhabits only Sri Lanka. The name chital is not used in Sri Lanka...

, and Asian Palm Civet are the some of the common mammals. Bufo atukoralei

Bufo atukoralei

The Yala Toad is a species of toad in the Bufonidae family. It is also known as Atukorale's Dwarf Toad.It is endemic to Sri Lanka....

, and Fejervarya pulla

Fejervarya pulla

Fejervarya pulla is a species of frog in the Ranidae family.It is endemic to Malaysia.Its natural habitats are freshwater marshes and intermittent freshwater marches.-Source:* Ohler, A. 2004. . Downloaded on 23 July 2007.-External links:*...

are endemic among amphibians found in the forest. Mugger crocodile

Mugger Crocodile

The mugger crocodile , also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, or marsh crocodile, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries...

 is one of the aquatic reptiles. Large water birds such as Grey Heron

Grey Heron

The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...

, Black-headed Ibis

Black-headed Ibis

The Black-headed Ibis or Oriental White Ibis is a species of wading bird of the ibis family Threskiornithidae which breeds in South Asia and Southeast Asia from Pakistan to India, Sri Lanka east up to Japan...

, Asian Openbill, Painted Stork

Painted Stork

The Painted Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family. It is found in the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in South Asia and extending into Southeast Asia. Their distinctive pink tertial feathers give them their name. They forage in flocks in shallow waters...

, and Spot-billed Pelican

Spot-billed Pelican

The Spot-billed Pelican or Grey Pelican is a member of the pelican family. It breeds in southern Asia from southern Pakistan across India east to Indonesia. It is a bird of large inland and coastal waters, especially large lakes...

 are inhabit here.

Conservation

Lunugamvehera is one of the protected area

Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

s that Tufted Gray Langur

Tufted Gray Langur

The tufted gray langur is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. This, like other gray langurs, is a leaf-eating monkey. It is found in southeast India and Sri Lanka. It is one of several Semnopithecus species named after characters from The Iliad, along with Semnopithecus hector...

 occurs.
It has been reported that several translocated

Translocation (Wildlife conservation)

Translocation in wildlife conservation means capture, transport and release or introduction of species, habitats or other ecological material from one location to another...

elephants are starved to death.