Udawalawe National Park is located on the border of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces in Sri Lanka. The park was created to protect wild animals that lost their homes due to the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River. It also helps protect the area that collects water for the reservoir. The park covers 30,821 hectares (119.00 mi) of land and was established on June 30, 1972.

Before becoming a national park, the area was used for farming called shifting cultivation, also known as chena farming. Farmers were moved away from the area after the park was created. Udawalawe National Park is 165 kilometers (103 mi) from Colombo. It is an important home for water birds and Sri Lankan elephants. The park is a popular place for tourists and is the third most visited park in Sri Lanka.

Physical features

Udawalawe is located at the edge of Sri Lanka's wet and dry regions. Plains are the main land features, but there are also some mountainous areas. The Kalthota Range and Diyawini Falls are in the northern part of the park, and the rock formations of Bambaragala and Reminikotha are within the park. The park receives about 1,500 millimetres (59 inches) of rain each year, mostly from October to January and March to May. The average yearly temperature is around 27–28 °C (81–82 °F), and the air holds between 70% to 83% moisture. The most common soil type is well-drained reddish-brown soil, while poorly drained low humic grey soils are found in valley areas. Alluvial soils, which are carried by rivers, form the beds of water courses.

Ecology

The area around the reservoir includes marshes, the Walawe River and its smaller rivers, forests, and grasslands. Dead trees in the reservoir show how much forest cover existed before the Udawalawe Dam was built. Green algae, such as Pediastrum and Scenedesmus, and blue-green algae like Microsystis, are found in the reservoir. Open grassland areas are common because of past chena farming. A teak tree plantation near the southern edge of the reservoir, below the dam, was planted before the park was established. The park is home to 94 plant species, 21 fish species, 12 amphibian species, 33 reptile species, 184 bird species (33 of which are migratory), and 43 mammal species. In addition, 135 butterfly species live in the area.

Flora

Hopea cordifolia, Memecylon petiolatum, Erythroxylon zeylanicum, and Jasminum angustifolium are plants that are only found in this park. Hopea cordifolia grows near rivers and is often found with Terminalia arjuna. Panicum maximum and Imperata cylindrica are important food for elephants. Chloroxylon swietenia, Berrya cordifolia, Diospyros ebenum, Adina cordifolia, Vitex pinnata, Schleichera oleosa, and Diospyros ovalifolia are often found tall trees. Terminalia bellirica and Phyllanthus emblica are plants with medicinal uses found in the forest. Cymbopogon confertiflorus is a type of grass, and Grewia tiliifolia is a common shrub found in the grasslands.

Fauna

Udawalawe is an important place for Sri Lankan elephants, which are hard to spot in the open areas of the park. Many elephants are drawn to the park because of the Udawalawe reservoir, where a group of about 250 elephants live year-round. The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home was created in 1995 to care for baby elephants that were abandoned. A total of nine calves were released into the park in 1998 and 2000, and eight more calves were released in 2002 when they were old enough to survive on their own.

The rusty-spotted cat, fishing cat, and Sri Lankan leopard are members of the cat family that live in Udawalawe. The Sri Lankan sloth bear is rarely seen because it is very rare. Other mammals in the park include Sri Lankan sambar deer, Sri Lankan axis deer, Indian muntjac, Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain, wild boar, and water buffalo. Golden jackals, Asian palm civets, toque macaques, tufted grey langurs, and Indian hares also live there. A study in 1989 found that many golden palm civets live in the forests of Udawalawe. Five types of mice, including the rare Ceylon spiny mouse (found in Yala National Park), were recorded in Udawalawe in 1989. Indian bush rats and three types of mongoose also live in the park.

Udawalawe is a great place for birdwatching. Birds that are found only in Sri Lanka, such as the Sri Lanka spurfowl, red-faced malkoha, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, brown-capped babbler, and Sri Lanka junglefowl, live and breed in the park. White wagtails and black-capped kingfishers are rare visitors. Many water birds, including cormorants, spot-billed pelicans, Asian openbills, painted storks, black-headed ibises, and Eurasian spoonbills, visit the reservoir.

The open areas of the park attract birds of prey, such as the white-bellied sea eagle, crested serpent-eagle, grey-headed fish eagle, booted eagle, and changeable hawk-eagle. Many landbirds, including the Indian roller, Indian peafowl, Malabar pied hornbill, and pied cuckoo, live in the park.

Reptiles and other animals in the park include Oriental garden lizards, painted-lip lizards, mugger crocodiles, Asian water monitors, Bengal monitors, and 30 types of snakes. Garra ceylonensis is a fish species found only in Udawalawe. Introduced fish species, such as Oreochromis spp., giant gourami, catla, and rohu, are important food sources in the reservoir.

Conservation

Clearing natural forests and planting single-species plantations, such as pine and eucalyptus, is lowering water levels in the Walawe River. Human settlements, poaching, illegal logging, gem mining, overgrazing, and chena farming are major problems affecting the park. Invasive plants like Lantana camara and Phyllanthus polyphyllus are harming the plants that elephants eat. Reports show that elephants have been shot with illegal muzzleloader guns.

Tourism

From January to August 2009, the park made money equal to Rs. 18.2 million. Between 1994 and 2001, about 423,000 people visited the park, and 20% of these visitors were from other countries. In 2023, Udawalawa National Park welcomed 188,388 visitors. From 1998 to 2001, the park’s average yearly income was US$ 280,000. On 31 October 2007, postage stamps showing pictures of four animals from Udawalawe were released as part of the "National Parks of Sri Lanka" series. The animals pictured were water buffalo, Sri Lankan elephant, ruddy mongoose, and tufted grey langur.

Safari

Udawalawe National Park is well-known for its jeep safari experiences, which let visitors see wildlife in open grasslands and scrub forest areas. The park has not too many trees and plants, making it easier to spot large animals, especially Sri Lankan elephants, which are one of the most popular attractions for visitors.

Safari drives usually happen in the early morning and late afternoon, when animals are more active. Besides elephants, visitors often see water buffalo, sambar deer, spotted deer, crocodiles, and many types of birds. The park’s ease of access and the fact that animals are easy to spot have made it one of Sri Lanka’s most famous safari locations.