Barring the south, the Wasgamuwa National Park is almost entirely encompassed by rivers. The eastern boundary is defined by the famous long flowing Mahaweli Ganga, while the northern and western sides are bordered by the Amban Ganga and Dunuwila Oya respectively. Long before wildlife conservation became fashionable, Sri Lanka already had areas of jungle marked out for conservation.
One such case is that of the Wasgomuwa National Park , a portion of which was declared a Strict Nature Reserve as early as 1938. The ancient tanks stand as evidence to the historical importance of the Wasgamuwa National Park and the religious sites are part of the story of Yudanganapitiya – the site where Sri Lanka’s famous kings, Dutugemunu and Elara, camped during their mighty battles, in the 2ndCentury BC.
Life here, of course, is abundant, a testimonial to the success of Sri Lanka ‘s early conservation efforts. The Wasgamuwa National Park has a history of being the place to observe the Sri Lankan Sloth Bear (a recognized subspecies of the Sloth Bear). Fifty or so species of butterflies (nine of which are endemic) sprinkle the park with a splash of welcome color just when you think your eyes are dying of dullness from the browns and grays of all those large mammals, which drink from every stream and river the veritable White Mountain feeds.
Birding safaris in wasgamuwa national park sri lankaThere are 23 species of mammals and 140 species of birds in Wasgamuwa. Both monkeys found in the park; the Purple-faced Langur and Toque Macaque, are endemic to Sri Lanka. The Water Buffalo and Sri Lankan Axis Deer are also commonly seen here. There have been Sri Lankan Leopard and Sri Lankan Sloth Bear sightings here, but they are quite rare. For birders, Wasgamuwa is quite exciting. The endemic Red-faced Malkoha and seven others have been recorded here. The Lesser Adjutant, Yellow-fronted Barbet, and Sri Lanka Spurfowl are the species that visit the reservoirs and streams at Wasgamuwa. Other aquatic birds that can be seen on a birding safari are the Peafowl, Painted Stork, Black-headed Ibis and the Eurasian Spoonbill. The rarer Sri Lanka Frogmouth which appears to have no beak and the Chestnut-winged Cuckoo have also been recorded here.
If you try looking into these rivers and streams, you might catch a glimpse of the Stone Sucker or Combtail, two of the 17 reptile species recorded in the Park, five are endemic. The Water monitor and Mugger Crocodile are common as well.
More than 150 plant species have been recorded in the Wasgamuwa National Park. Chloroxylon swietenia, Manilkara hexandra, Elaeodendron glaucum, Pterospermum canescens, Diospyros ebenum, Holoptelea integrifolia, Pleurostylia opposita, Vitex altissima, Drypetes sepiaria, and Berrya cordifolia are dominant in the emergent layer of the forests while Polyalthia korinti, Diplodiscus verrucosus, Limonia acidissima, Cassia roxburghii and Strobilanthes stenoden are common in the other layers. There is also a 1,700 year-old tamarind tree in Wasgamuwa.
Watch out for Water Monitors and crocodiles while looking for fish though, and try not to run afoul of these not-too-friendly reptiles. While some would say that all reptiles are hideous, the more adorable ones include the endangered skink and the Dangaradanda as well as the Red Lipped Lizard and – with a name implying that normal people actually notice the ears of lizards – the Earless Lizard.
Wasgamuwa National Park – Sri LankaNo discussion of a national park in Sri Lanka is complete without the naming of a few birds, as we have noted in our section on Minneriya-Giritale National Park . So here are a few more cool names for you to memorize. It is intriguing how people name birds, and we’re quite sure that’s part of the fun.
In Wasgomuwa National Park – where the Lesser Adjutant does not refer to a disgraced general – there are about 143 species of birds. Examples (besides the Lesser Adjutant) include the Red-faced Malkoha and Yellow Fronted Barbet; the Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl; and Sri Lanka Spur Fowl, sometimes misheard as “super-fowl”. There is also the Sri Lanka Frogmouth, which appears to have no beak. Speaking of which, this might be a convenient place to draw your attention to the Slender Wood Frog, an endangered amphibian and the most noteworthy among the eight species found here.
A safari adventure in exploring the wild and an audience with the well-known giants of Wasgamuwa National Park admist the Dunuwila Lake, is what it’s all about while experiencing the best of this elephant territory.
Even the elusive sloth bear has been known to be sighted at the Park. Nevertheless the journey has no shortfall in the diversity of wild encounters, as the abundance of ancient water tanks in and around the vicinity suggests.
Wasgamuwa National Park presents a climate that leans towards fairly dry, however the area does experience adequate rainfall seasonally as a part of tropical conditioning, therefore the best times to visit the Park is January through March.
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