Sinharaja (the name
translates as ‘Kingdom of the Lion’)
Forest Reserve, a hilly virgin rainforest & a part of the lowland rain forests, a
treasure trove of endemic species including trees, insects, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and mammals, is a national park
in Sri Lanka.
It is a biodiversity hotspot and of international
significance and has been designated as a World Biosphere
Reserve (in 1978) and a World Heritage Site (in 1988) by UNESCO.
There are about 3 elephants and about 15 leopards
& the commonest larger mammal is the endemic Purple-faced Langur. Because of the dense
vegetation, wildlife is not as easily seen as at dry-zone national parks such
as Yala.
The reptilian fauna of Sinharaja is
represented by 45 species, of while 21 are endemic. This includes a large
proportion of snakes, several lizards, tortoises and skinks.
Among the venomous species that
occur in the forest are the Green-pit viper, the Hump-nosed Viper and the
Krait.
Among the lizards, the commonest is
the familiar Green Garden Lizard. Several rare and endemic species of lizards
are found in the forest.
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The
Sinharaja Reserve is rich in bird life with an impressive 147 species recorded
to date. It is also the only locality where 18 out of 20 birds species endemic
to Sri Lanka may be viewed.
