Maduru Oya National Park
Encyclopedia
Maduru Oya National Park is a national park of Sri Lanka, established under the Mahaweli development project and also acts as a catchment
of the Maduru Oya Reservoir. The park was designated on 9 November 1983. Providing a sanctuary to wildlife, especially for elephants and protecting the immediate catchments of five reservoirs are the importance of the park. A community of Vedda people, the indigenous ethnic group of Sri Lanka lives within the park boundary in Henanigala. The park is situated 288 kilometres (179 mi) north-east of Colombo
.
rock has effected in the creation of a mature mantled and undulating peneplain
, disturbed by many prominent remnants of erosion (rock outcrop
s) and ridges. Imposing topographic feature is the 8 kilometres (5 mi) long range of rocky mountains of the south-west of the park. The geographical regime includes alluvium deposits and Miocene
limestone
. The major soil type is the relatively fertile but easily eroded red earth. Water systems of the park made up 15 % of the land area, include five reservoirs; Maduru Oya, Ulhitiya, Ratkinda, NDK, and Henanigala reservoirs and tributaries of the Mahaweli and Maduru Oya rivers. Situated in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, the climatic conditions are dominated by the north-east monsoon, which persists from October to February. The mean annual rainfall is 1650 millimetres (65 in) and the mean annual temperature is about 27 °C (80.6 °F), and overall evapotranspiration
rates usually exceed precipitation
levels.
, and Somawathiya
. An ancient sluice
on the old ruptured earthen bund of the Maduru Oya was discovered in the 1980s. The sluice made up of stone slabs and bricks, is about 30 feet (9.1 m) high, 30 feet (9.1 m) wide and 219 feet (66.8 m) long. The upper sluice was built in two phases, the first of which dates to before the 6th century BC. The lower sluice is believed to be older than that. Buddhist ruins of shrines, temples, dagobas
, statues, and hermitages are found in Henanigala, Kudawila, Gurukumbura, Ulketangoda, and Werapokuna belonging to various periods of Sri Lankan history
. Early Brahmi inscriptions
from first to third century AD have been discovered in Kandegamakanda. Vedda people, the indigenous people of Sri Lanka, numbering less than a thousand people, live in Kandeganwela, Kotatalawa, Dambana
and other places before the declaration of the park. The temple of Mahiyangana
of great importance to the Veddas is situated outside the park. The Veddas, said to be descended from King Vijaya and Queen Kuveni
, were living in Sri Lanka long before the arrival of the Sinhalese people
from India 543 BC. They are traditionally hunters and gatherers
and have increasingly relied on small cultivation for their livelihood. Although the community living in Dambana have preserved their traditional lifestyle to some degree.
of the area is tropical dry mixed evergreen forests
characterized by Drypetes sepiaria, Chloroxylon swietenia
, Manilkara hexandra
, Pterospermum canescens, Wood apple Feronia limonia
, Cassia fistula, and Dimorphocalyx glabellus. However a majority portion of the forests within the park had been severely exploited previously for shifting cultivation
. This has effected in secondary forest
s and vast stretches of open plains dominated by grasses. The herbaceous stage is succeeded by shrubs and the thicket stage is characterized by Trema rientalis. Among the first trees to appear is Pterospermum canescens, Drypetes sepiaria, and Manilkara hexandra. Maduru Oya Dam is surrounded by parkland, kept by periodic fires. Number of woody plant
s occurs around the reservoir. A rare and endemic tree Vatica obscura
, the only Dipterocarpaceae
species to occur in the dry zone, is found in limited locations on the banks of the Maduru Oya and Gallodai Aru. Exotic teak
Tectona grandis is included in the north-eastern region of the park.
Elephas maximus, of which there were 150-200 before the establishment of the park, Sloth Bear
Melursus ursinus, leopard
Panthera pardus, and Water Buffalo
Bubalus bubalis. A recent study in 2007 shows that the current elephant population is still estimates around 150-200. Other mammals are Toque Monkey
Macaca sinica, Common Langur
Presbytis entellus, jackal
Canis aureus, Fishing Cat
felis viverrina, wild boar Sus scrofa, Indian Muntjac
Muntiacus muntjak, spotted deer
Cervus axis, and sambar C. unicolor. Smalls mammals include Porcupine Hystrix indica, Black-naped Hare
Lepus nigricollis, Indian Pangolin
Manis crassicaudata, squirrels, rats and mice. European Otter
Lutra lutra is also has been reported from park. Maduru Oya National Park is one of the recorded habitats of the Grey Slender Loris Loris lydekkerianus.
The park's diverse aquatic avifauna includes Painted Stork
Mycteria leucocephala, White-bellied Sea Eagle
Haliaeetus leucogaster, Grey Pelican
Pelecanus philippensis, Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo , and Little Cormorant
P. niger. Notable forest species are endemic Sri Lanka Junglefowl
Gallus lafayetii, the rare Broad-billed Roller
Eurystomus glaucurus (possibly the only dry zone haunt), Common Tailorbird
Orthotomus sutorius, Shama
Copsychus malabaricus, Black-hooded Oriole
Oriolus xanthornus, and Woodpecker
Dendrocopos nanus. Endemic Red-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus is also occurs. The reservoirs harbors several species of bird flocks including Oriental Darter
Anhinga melanogaster, Spot-billed Pelican
Pelecanus philippensis, Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans, Black-headed Ibis
Threskiornis melanocephalus, and Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia.
Park reptiles include Geochelone elegans
, Common Monitor
Varanus bengalensis, Water monitor
Varanus salvator, black-tailed python Python molurus, krait Bungarus spp., common cobra
Naja naja, Mugger crocodile
Crocodylus palustris, and estuarine crocodile
Crocodylus porosus. Other reptiles associated with aquatic habits are Indian Black Turtle
Melanochelys trijuga and Indian Flap-shelled Turtle
Lissemys punctata. Of fishes barb
s barbus spp., Giant gourami
Osphronemus goramy, Snakeheads Channa
spp., Catfish
(Siluriformes) and exotic tilapia
Tilapia mossambica are the predominant in the reservoirs.
, illegal timber felling
are serious problems within the national park. The park has been invaded by alien species
Lantana camara
. The Nilgala jungle corridor
has been proposed to link Maduru Oya National Park with Gal Oya National Park
which would provide a more contiguous wildlife habitat. Unplanned colonisation of land in the park by persons expecting to obtain land deeds to land under the Mahaweli development project is showing an increase. This has resulted in a considerable disturbance to the wildlife of the park. Since then the squatter
number about 1500 has been resettled in established Mahaweli settlements. As part of Mahaweli Project Vedda people from several villages have been resettled in Henanigala. The removal of Veddas has been widely publicised. Feared effects of the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Programme include conflicting interests between wildlife and settlers in the areas of the park that are bordering the development area: elephants and wild boars raid and damage crops, while cattle and other domesticated animals tress into the park. Constructing dam, tunnels and roads has caused badly scattered landscapes in few villages. Maduru Oya reservoir is covered with the harmful floating weed Salvinia molesta.
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 Maduru Oya Reservoir. The park was designated on 9 November 1983. Providing a sanctuary to wildlife, especially for elephants and protecting the immediate catchments of five reservoirs are the importance of the park. A community of Vedda people, the indigenous ethnic group of Sri Lanka lives within the park boundary in Henanigala. The park is situated 288 kilometres (179 mi) north-east of 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...
.
Physical features
Degradation of PrecambrianPrecambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
rock has effected in the creation of a mature mantled and undulating peneplain
Peneplain
A peneplain is a low-relief plain representing the final stage of fluvial erosion during times of extended tectonic stability. The existence of peneplains, and peneplanation as a geomorphological process, is not without controversy, due to a lack of contemporary examples and uncertainty in...
, disturbed by many prominent remnants of erosion (rock outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
s) and ridges. Imposing topographic feature is the 8 kilometres (5 mi) long range of rocky mountains of the south-west of the park. The geographical regime includes alluvium deposits and Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. The major soil type is the relatively fertile but easily eroded red earth. Water systems of the park made up 15 % of the land area, include five reservoirs; Maduru Oya, Ulhitiya, Ratkinda, NDK, and Henanigala reservoirs and tributaries of the Mahaweli and Maduru Oya rivers. Situated in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, the climatic conditions are dominated by the north-east monsoon, which persists from October to February. The mean annual rainfall is 1650 millimetres (65 in) and the mean annual temperature is about 27 °C (80.6 °F), and overall evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration is a term used to describe the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from the Earth's land surface to atmosphere. Evaporation accounts for the movement of water to the air from sources such as the soil, canopy interception, and waterbodies...
rates usually exceed precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
levels.
History and cultural heritage
Maduru Oya National Park is one the four national parks designated under the Mahaweli Development Project. The other three are Wasgamuwa, Flood PlainsFlood Plains National Park
Flood Plains National Park is one of the four national parks set aside under the Mahaweli River development project. The park was created on 7 August 1984. The national park is situated along the Mahaweli flood plain and is considered a rich feeding ground for elephants...
, and Somawathiya
Somawathiya National Park
Somawathiya National Park is one of the four national parks designated under the Mahaweli River development project. Somawathiya Chaitya, a stupa said to be containing a relic of the tooth of the Buddha, is situated within the park. The park was created on 2 September 1986, having been originally...
. An ancient sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
on the old ruptured earthen bund of the Maduru Oya was discovered in the 1980s. The sluice made up of stone slabs and bricks, is about 30 feet (9.1 m) high, 30 feet (9.1 m) wide and 219 feet (66.8 m) long. The upper sluice was built in two phases, the first of which dates to before the 6th century BC. The lower sluice is believed to be older than that. Buddhist ruins of shrines, temples, dagobas
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
, statues, and hermitages are found in Henanigala, Kudawila, Gurukumbura, Ulketangoda, and Werapokuna belonging to various periods of Sri Lankan history
History of Sri Lanka
The History of Sri Lanka begins around 30,000 years ago when the island was first inhabited. Chronicles, including the Mahawansa, the Dipavamsa, the Culavamsa and the Rajaveliya, record events from the beginnings of the Sinhalese monarchy in the 6th century BC; through the arrival of European...
. Early Brahmi inscriptions
Brāhmī script
Brāhmī is the modern name given to the oldest members of the Brahmic family of scripts. The best-known Brāhmī inscriptions are the rock-cut edicts of Ashoka in north-central India, dated to the 3rd century BCE. These are traditionally considered to be early known examples of Brāhmī writing...
from first to third century AD have been discovered in Kandegamakanda. Vedda people, the indigenous people of Sri Lanka, numbering less than a thousand people, live in Kandeganwela, Kotatalawa, Dambana
Dambana
Dambana is a village within the Badulla District in Sri Lanka. It is closest to the town of Mahiyangana. It is known as the refuge of the indigenous Vedda people as well as their moribund Vedda language. It is well known for its eco-tourism projects. In 2010 it had population close 1000 individuals...
and other places before the declaration of the park. The temple of Mahiyangana
Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara
Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. It is believed to be the site of Gautama Buddha's first visit to the country, and is one of the Solosmasthana, the 16 sacred religious locations in Sri Lanka.-Buddha's visit:...
of great importance to the Veddas is situated outside the park. The Veddas, said to be descended from King Vijaya and Queen Kuveni
Kuveni
Kuveni also known as Sesapathi or Kuvanna, was a Yakshi queen in Sri Lanka mentioned in the ancient Sri Lankan Pali chronicles. The primary source for her life-story is the Mahavamsa. She is venerated as Maha Loku Kiriammaleththo by the Veddas...
, were living in Sri Lanka long before the arrival of the Sinhalese people
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
from India 543 BC. They are traditionally hunters and gatherers
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
and have increasingly relied on small cultivation for their livelihood. Although the community living in Dambana have preserved their traditional lifestyle to some degree.
Flora
The park is lying entirely in dry zone although the parks southern boundary borders on the intermediate zone. The climax communityClimax community
In ecology, a climax community, or climatic climax community, is a biological community of plants and animals which, through the process of ecological succession — the development of vegetation in an area over time — has reached a steady state. This equilibrium occurs because the climax community...
of the area is tropical dry mixed evergreen forests
Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests
The Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of the island of Sri Lanka. The ecoregion covers an area of , which includes most of the island of Sri Lanka, with the exception of the islands' southwestern corner and central highlands, home to the Sri...
characterized by Drypetes sepiaria, Chloroxylon swietenia
Chloroxylon
Chloroxylon swietenia is a tropical hardwood, the sole species in the genus Chloroxylon...
, 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...
, Pterospermum canescens, Wood apple Feronia limonia
Limonia (plant)
Limonia acidissima is the only species within the monotypic genus Limonia. It is native in the Indomalaya ecozone to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and in Indochinese ecoregion east to Java and the Malesia ecoregion...
, Cassia fistula, and Dimorphocalyx glabellus. However a majority portion of the forests within the park had been severely exploited previously for shifting cultivation
Shifting cultivation
Shifting cultivation is an agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned. This system often involves clearing of a piece of land followed by several years of wood harvesting or farming, until the soil loses fertility...
. This has effected in secondary forest
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
s and vast stretches of open plains dominated by grasses. The herbaceous stage is succeeded by shrubs and the thicket stage is characterized by Trema rientalis. Among the first trees to appear is Pterospermum canescens, Drypetes sepiaria, and Manilkara hexandra. Maduru Oya Dam is surrounded by parkland, kept by periodic fires. Number of woody plant
Woody plant
A woody plant is a plant that uses wood as its structural tissue. These are typically perennial plants whose stems and larger roots are reinforced with wood produced adjacent to the vascular tissues. The main stem, larger branches, and roots of these plants are usually covered by a layer of...
s occurs around the reservoir. A rare and endemic tree Vatica obscura
Vatica obscura
Vatica obscura is a species of plant in the Dipterocarpaceae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.It is an Endangered species threatened by habitat loss.-References:* Ashton, P. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
, the only Dipterocarpaceae
Dipterocarpaceae
Dipterocarpaceae is a family of 17 genera and approximately 500 species of mainly tropical lowland rainforest trees. The family name, from the type genus Dipterocarpus, is derived from Greek and refers to the two-winged fruit...
species to occur in the dry zone, is found in limited locations on the banks of the Maduru Oya and Gallodai Aru. Exotic 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...
Tectona grandis is included in the north-eastern region of the park.
Fauna
The importance of the park's fauna species is its richness, which includes a number of endemic species. Threatened mammal species include elephantAsian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
Elephas maximus, of which there were 150-200 before the establishment of the park, Sloth Bear
Sloth Bear
The sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
Melursus ursinus, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
Panthera pardus, and Water Buffalo
Water Buffalo
The water buffalo or domestic Asian water buffalo is a large bovine animal, frequently used as livestock in southern Asia, and also widely in South America, southern Europe, northern Africa, and elsewhere....
Bubalus bubalis. A recent study in 2007 shows that the current elephant population is still estimates around 150-200. Other mammals are Toque Monkey
Toque Macaque
The toque macaque is a reddish-brown coloured Old World monkey endemic to both Sri Lanka, where it is locally known as the 'Rilewa' or 'Rilawa'...
Macaca sinica, Common 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...
Presbytis entellus, jackal
Golden Jackal
The golden jackal , also known as the common jackal, Asiatic jackal, thos or gold-wolf is a Canid of the genus Canis indigenous to north and northeastern Africa, southeastern and central Europe , Asia Minor, the Middle East and southeast Asia...
Canis aureus, Fishing Cat
Fishing Cat
The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted...
felis viverrina, wild boar Sus scrofa, Indian Muntjac
Indian Muntjac
The Common Muntjac , also called the Red Muntjac, Indian Muntjac or Barking deer is the most numerous muntjac deer species. It has soft, short, brownish or greyish hair, sometimes with creamy markings. This species is omnivorous, feeding on fruits, shoots, seeds, birds' eggs as well as small...
Muntiacus muntjak, spotted deer
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...
Cervus axis, and sambar C. unicolor. Smalls mammals include Porcupine Hystrix indica, Black-naped Hare
Indian Hare
The Indian Hare , also known as the Black-naped Hare, is a common species of hare found in South Asia. and in java....
Lepus nigricollis, Indian Pangolin
Indian Pangolin
The Indian Pangolin or ”Scaly Ant-eater” is a pangolin that is found in the plains and hills of India, Sri Lanka,Nepal and some parts of Pakistan. It is not common anywhere in its range....
Manis crassicaudata, squirrels, rats and mice. European Otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
Lutra lutra is also has been reported from park. Maduru Oya National Park is one of the recorded habitats of the Grey Slender Loris Loris lydekkerianus.
The park's diverse aquatic avifauna includes 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...
Mycteria leucocephala, White-bellied Sea Eagle
White-bellied Sea Eagle
The White-bellied Sea Eagle , also known as the White-breasted Sea Eagle, is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Originally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it is closely related to Sanford's Sea Eagle of the Solomon Islands, and the two are considered a superspecies...
Haliaeetus leucogaster, Grey 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...
Pelecanus philippensis, Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant
The Great Cormorant , known as the Great Black Cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the Black Cormorant in Australia and the Black Shag further south in New Zealand, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds...
Phalacrocorax carbo , and Little Cormorant
Little Cormorant
The Little Cormorant is a member of the Cormorant family of seabirds: Aptly named, the Little Cormorant is small in comparison with other cormorants, only 55 cm in length with an average mass of 442.5 g...
P. niger. Notable forest species are endemic Sri Lanka Junglefowl
Sri Lanka Junglefowl
The Sri Lankan Junglefowl , also known during the colonial era as the Ceylon Junglefowl, is a member of the pheasant family which is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is the national bird. It is closely related to the Red Junglefowl , the wild junglefowl from which the chicken was domesticated...
Gallus lafayetii, the rare Broad-billed Roller
Broad-billed Roller
The Broad-billed Roller, Eurystomus glaucurus, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa and Madagascar in all but the driest regions. It is a wet season breeder, which migrates from the northern and southern areas of its range towards the moister equatorial...
Eurystomus glaucurus (possibly the only dry zone haunt), Common Tailorbird
Common Tailorbird
The Common Tailorbird is a songbird found across tropical Asia. Popular for its nest made of leaves "sewn" together and immortalized by Rudyard Kipling in his Jungle Book, it is a common resident in urban gardens. Although shy birds that are usually hidden within vegetation, their loud calls are...
Orthotomus sutorius, Shama
White-rumped Shama
The White-rumped Shama is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. It was formerly classified as a member of the Thrush family, Turdidae, causing it to be commonly known as the White-rumped Shama Thrush or simply Shama Thrush.-Distribution:They are native to South and Southeast Asia, but...
Copsychus malabaricus, Black-hooded Oriole
Black-hooded Oriole
The Black-hooded Oriole, Oriolus xanthornus, is a member of the oriole family of passerine birds and is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia....
Oriolus xanthornus, and Woodpecker
Brown-capped Woodpecker
The Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker is a species of woodpecker found in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka.-Description:A small brown and white woodpecker with distinctive pink-rimmed white irises. Barred brown and white above, lightly streaked dirty white below. Tail spotted white...
Dendrocopos nanus. Endemic Red-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus is also occurs. The reservoirs harbors several species of bird flocks including Oriental Darter
Oriental Darter
The Oriental Darter or Indian Darter , sometimes called Snakebird, is a water bird of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.-Taxonomy:...
Anhinga melanogaster, 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...
Pelecanus philippensis, Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans, 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...
Threskiornis melanocephalus, and Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia.
Park reptiles include Geochelone elegans
Indian Star Tortoise
The Indian star tortoise is a species of tortoise found in dry areas and scrub forest in India and Sri Lanka. This species is quite popular in the exotic pet trade.-Anatomy and morphology:...
, Common Monitor
Bengal monitor
The Bengal monitor or common Indian monitor, is a monitor lizard found widely distributed over South Asia. This large lizard is mainly terrestrial, and grows to about 175 cm from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail...
Varanus bengalensis, Water monitor
Water monitor
The Water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing to in length, with the average size of most adults at long. Maximum weight of Varanus salvator can be over , but most are half that size. Their body is muscular with a long, powerful, laterally compressed tail...
Varanus salvator, black-tailed python Python molurus, krait Bungarus spp., common cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
Naja naja, 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...
Crocodylus palustris, and estuarine crocodile
Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile, also known as estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles...
Crocodylus porosus. Other reptiles associated with aquatic habits are Indian Black Turtle
Melanochelys trijuga
Indian black turtle or Indian pond terrapin is a species of turtle found in South Asia.-Distribution:N Bangladesh, C Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Chagos Islands and Nepal....
Melanochelys trijuga and Indian Flap-shelled Turtle
Lissemys punctata
Indian flapshell turtle is a fresh water species of turtle found in South Asia. The “Flap-shelled” name stems from the presence of femoral flaps that are located on the plastron. These flaps of skin serve the purpose of covering the limbs when they retract into the shell. It is unclear what...
Lissemys punctata. Of fishes barb
Barbus
Barbus is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. The type species of Barbus is the Common Barbel, first described as Cyprinus barbus and now named Barbus barbus...
s barbus spp., Giant gourami
Giant gourami
The Giant Gourami is a gourami, a freshwater fish belonging to the sub-family Osphroneminae in the family Osphronemidae. Some other larger members of this family are also occasionally or regionally referred to as "giant gouramis", including the banded gourami, Trichogaster fasciatus, and the three...
Osphronemus goramy, Snakeheads Channa
Channa
Channa is a genus of the Channidae family of snakehead fishes. This genus contains about 29 species, but the most well known are probably northern snakehead and the giant snakehead . Channa has a wide natural distribution extending from Iran in the West, to China in the East, and parts of Siberia...
spp., Catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
(Siluriformes) and exotic tilapia
Oreochromis mossambicus
The Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, is a tilapiine cichlid fish native to southern Africa. It is a popular fish for aquaculture...
Tilapia mossambica are the predominant in the reservoirs.
Conservation
Encroachment of the wetland area, poachingPoaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
, illegal timber felling
Illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
are serious problems within the national park. The park has been invaded by alien species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
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...
. The Nilgala jungle 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...
has been proposed to link Maduru Oya National Park with Gal Oya National Park
Gal Oya National Park
Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. Senanayake Samudraya was built under the Gal Oya development project by damming the Gal Oya at Inginiyagala in 1950. An important feature of...
which would provide a more contiguous wildlife habitat. Unplanned colonisation of land in the park by persons expecting to obtain land deeds to land under the Mahaweli development project is showing an increase. This has resulted in a considerable disturbance to the wildlife of the park. Since then the squatter
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
number about 1500 has been resettled in established Mahaweli settlements. As part of Mahaweli Project Vedda people from several villages have been resettled in Henanigala. The removal of Veddas has been widely publicised. Feared effects of the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Programme include conflicting interests between wildlife and settlers in the areas of the park that are bordering the development area: elephants and wild boars raid and damage crops, while cattle and other domesticated animals tress into the park. Constructing dam, tunnels and roads has caused badly scattered landscapes in few villages. Maduru Oya reservoir is covered with the harmful floating weed Salvinia molesta.