Description

Lahugala National Park is one of the tiniest national parks in Sri Lanka. Notwithstanding its land space, the park is a crucial habitat for Sri Lankan elephants and endemic birds of Sri Lanka. The national park includes the reservoirs of Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa, and they are eventually cleared to the Heda Oya river. Formerly it was assigned as a wildlife sanctuary on July 1 of 1966. Then the protected zone was enhanced to a national park on October 31 of 1980. Lahugala Kitulana is located 318 km east of Colombo. This national park is utilised by elephants traditionally as a feeding territory. Furthermore, many wetland birds are found in Lahugala.

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The park's primary draw is the Lahugala Tank, a reservoir that supplies water to the nearby towns and wildlife. One of Sri Lanka's earliest reservoirs, the tank, was constructed by King Devanampiyatissa in the third century BC.

Elephants, deer, wild boar, and many bird species are among the animals that call the park home. The park is particularly well-known for housing a colony of sloth bears from Sri Lanka, an endangered species. Park visitors may see these creatures in their natural environment by taking a vehicle safari.

The park's vegetation includes meadows, prickly bushes, and dry evergreen woods. Many endangered plant species may be found in the park, such as the water plant Nelumbo nucifera and the orchid Dendrobium pachyanthum.

The dry season, which lasts from May to September, is one of the greatest seasons to visit the park since animals prefer to congregate around water sources during this period. The park, however, welcomes tourists all year round.

Visitors to Lahugala National Park may also go to adjacent sites such as the Pottuvil Lagoon, a well-liked location for bird viewing, and the Buddhist temple of Kudumbigala, which goes back to the second century BC.

Visitors must abide by rules, including not littering or disturbing wildlife, to protect the park's natural treasures. The number of cars permitted into the park at any given moment is likewise subject to limitations.