Uda Walawe National Park

Covering nearly 31,000 hectares, Uda Walawe National Park was created in 1972 as a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Uda Walawe reservoir. Mammals present include elephant, leopard, fishing cat, sloth bear, wild boar, golden palm civet, three species of mongoose, tocque macaque, tufted grey langur and wild buffalo. Renowned as perhaps the best place in Asia for observing wild elephant, the park is also an important bridwatching site: water birds and raptors are numerous, and resident endemics include Sri Lanka spurfowl and red-faced malkoha. Reptiles found there include mugger crocodile, water and Bengal monitors, painted lip lizard and 30 species of snake. Uda Walawe is the third most visited national park.