Sri Lanka has many national parks and animal sanctuaries, which are rich and varied, with different types of forest cover providing a homeland to different kinds of animals, including the Asian elephants, to name only a few. Since Sri Lanka is on a large bird migration route, birds from all over the world winter on the island.

Minneriya

Minneriya National Park approximately 8900 hectares in extent is in the Central North region of the country. This is one of the newest parks in Sri Lanka with a resident wild elephant population of nearly 200. Forest with high canopy provides an ideal habitat conditions for purple-faced leaf monkey and toque monkey. Minneriya is also a paradise for samba and spotted deer. The surrounding wetlands is inhabited by a large number of aquatic bird species and it is not too rare a scene to view 2000 little cormorants diving into the waters of the Minneriya reservoir.

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Wasgamuwa

Situated approximately 200 km. away from Colombo, Wasgomuwa National Park is in the Central North region of the country, which is 37,000 hectares in extent. This Tropical intermediate dry mixed evergreen forest predominates its environment with many varieties of animals like wild elephant, deer, sloth bear, monkey, wild boar and crocodile.

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Udawalawa

Uda Walawe National Park is situated 170 Km South East of Colombo and is approximately 30,800 hectares in extent. This Park is located in the dry zone of Sri Lanka and act as the catchments to the Uda Walawe Reservoir. With abundant sources of water and rich and lush vegetation, this park is home for nearly 400 wild elephants besides many species of deer, wild boar, water buffalo, and the jackal too is found in this park

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Yala

Yala is the more popular and well-established wild life park in Sri Lanka. It is situated 309 km south of Colombo and approximately 129,700 hectares in extent. This Park consists of thorny scrub forest somewhat similar to the African bush, which provides visitors good visibility. The vegetation ranges from open parkland to dense jungle. Yala abounds with elephants besides the other varieties of animals such as sloth bears, leopards, buffaloes, wild boar, deer, samba and large crocodiles too, which are relatively common.

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Bundala

Bundala National Park is 260 km. away from Colombo and 6300 hectares in extent. All species of water birds resident in the country and the migrant birds inhabit this Park. This has five large brackish water lagoons, which make this place to be a home for the migratory birds that flock to these wetlands during the winter months.

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