One of the biggest and oldest national parks in Sri Lanka is found in the northwestern region. It has an area of 1,317 square kilometers. This park has been described as a heaven for rare animals such as the Sri Lankan leopard. It serves as a very pristine example of the natural beauty on this island. Its uniqueness and importance come from history, geographical features, richness in biodiversity, and the effort that has been taken to preserve it as an ecological site. Below is a more detailed exploration of Wilpattu National Park, including its key features, its wildlife, and its significance.
Geography and Location
Wilpattu National Park is approximately 30 km west of Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, and about 180 km from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. The park lies within the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The wet and dry season in Sri Lanka are strongly pronounced, and the rainfall takes place mainly in the northeast monsoon season during the period from October to February.
The park is located between the Anuradhapura District and the Puttalam District. Due to this, the park remains accessible from both the areas. The landscape of Wilpattu is characterized by dense forests and wide open grasslands as well as wetlands. The main attraction of the park includes its unique "villus," which are natural depressions that fill with water in the rainy season and evaporate in the dry season. These villus are the primary sources of water for the wildlife in the park and contribute to the overall ecosystem in the park.
The general nature of the park is tropical dry mixed evergreen forest and scrubland, generally characteristic of Sri Lanka's dry zone. The vegetation of Wilpattu ranges from dense jungles with tall trees to open grassland and marshy ground. The topography of the park consists of hills, rocky outcrops, and low-lying plains. The villus that dot the park are usually covered with dense vegetation and thus provide shelter to the wildlife, especially during dry seasons when other water sources become scarce.
History and Development
Wilpattu National Park has history as old as ancient Sri Lanka. In ancient Sri Lanka, it had been the hunting ground of royalty and was then surrounded by ancient monasteries in the forests. Wilpattu was initiated as a national park in the 1930s when it was declared as a sanctuary in 1938 followed by promotion to a national park in 1983.
However, the park history was marred by the prolonged civil war in Sri Lanka, that had led to the temporary closing down of Wilpattu. The park remained off-limits to the general public between late 1980s up to 2003 since it had fallen into the no-go area of the war zone. This time had badly affected the infrastructures such as roads and visitor amenities in the park. After the war ended in 2009, Wilpattu reopened to tourists, and since then, it has seen a steady increase in the number of visitors, thanks to its thriving wildlife and the continued restoration efforts.
Flora and Vegetation
The flora of Wilpattu National Park is a rich combination of species found in the tropical dry zone that have adapted to climatic conditions. Main vegetation comprises trees, shrubs, and plants that are adapted to relatively low rainfall and high temperatures typical of the dry zone. The main types of vegetation found in the park are dry evergreen forests, scrub forests, and grasslands.
The dry evergreen forests in Wilpattu comprise trees such as Madhuca (known locally as "Maha"), Sal (Shorea robusta), Ailanthus (Ailanthus triphysa), Terminalia (Terminalia arjuna) and species of Wrightia. Undergrowth here is not very dense because larger trees create shaded areas where shrubs, such as Croton and Cissus, tend to grow.
The scrub forests occur in the drier parts of the park and are dominated by species like Acacia and Ziziphus, which have adapted to the harsher conditions of the park. Such areas are often open with many thorny bushes, making them suitable for species like wild boar and spotted deer. The open grasslands primarily occurring in the central and southern parts of the park provide a home to many different species of grasses and herbs and are an ideal source of food for herbivores such as elephants and deer.
The villus, which are water-filled depressions, support lush vegetation along the edge of the water. It is an important area that attracts a variety of wildlife, especially during the dry season when other water sources dry up.
Wildlife in Wilpattu
Wilpattu is extremely renowned for its diversified and rich wildlife, including many varieties of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Biodiversity in the park is one of its greatest features, making it an important area for conservation and a prime destination for wildlife enthusiasts.
Mammals
Many types of mammals inhabit Wilpattu, including some endangered or endemic to Sri Lanka. Of all the famous mammals, one of the most iconic is the Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya). It is one of the main attractions in the park. This park is also one of the best spots in Sri Lanka for leopards, and because the environment here is not greatly disturbed, it's the ideal place to photograph the cats. Although the Sri Lankan leopard is a subspecies of leopard, it is smaller compared to the others found in other parts of the world and is more marked with a darker coat.
Another major mammal in Wilpattu is the Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus). This is a subspecies of the Asian elephant that has been declared endangered. Elephants are usually found in huge herds, mostly in open grasslands and in the villus when there is water.
Other mammals found in the park are spotted deer (Axis axis), wild boar (Sus scrofa), sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), and mongoose. Golden jackal (Canis aureus) can be seen in the early morning or late evenings, while Sri Lankan wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee) are also present.
Birdlife
For a bird enthusiast, there can't be a better place other than Wilpattu National Park. It is a home for over 200 species recorded within the park, out of which there are about migratory birds, and the waterfowl type along with the endemic birds that are specifically found within Sri Lanka. The common birds of this park, Sri Lanka junglefowl (Gallus lafayettii) that is also the national bird of Sri Lanka while great thick-knee, which is frequently seen about the villus.
The park is also an essential migrant birding site. Painted stork Mycteria leucocephala, waders, as well as various species of tern and herons, are visiting during the migration season in this park. Other common raptors in the park area are the crested serpent eagle Spilornis cheela, Indian eagle-owl Bubo bengalensis, as well as black-shouldered kite Elanus caeruleus.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Several species of reptiles, such as monitor lizards (Varanus species), Indian cobra (Naja naja), and Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), will occupy various niches in the park. Other amphibians, including frogs and toads, inhabit the moister parts of the park, especially near the villus.
Conservation Sites
Wilpattu National Park is an important conservation site in Sri Lanka. It is one of the national parks on the island, managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). The restoration of the infrastructure within the park, improving the facilities provided to the visitors, and protection of ecosystems have been important and significant over the years. The park has made access road and safari routes through road restoration available for tourism purposes, but care has to be taken to try not to have much an effect on wildlife and its resources.
In the past, poaching has been an issue, such as in the case of the Sri Lankan leopard and elephant. Illegal hunting has been decreased through stiffer enforcement of anti-poaching laws and better management of parks. The institution of sustainable tourism activities such as regulated safari tours and educating the local community have been effective in reducing human conflict with wildlife.
Agriculture and human settlement activities have invaded the park through surrounding areas. The Department of Wildlife Conservation has carried out cooperation with local communities to promote conservation-friendly practices and sustainable land use around the park.
Tourism in Wilpattu
Wilpattu is becoming very much a hot destination for eco-tourism, especially for wildlife enthusiasts, photography enthusiasts, and bird watchers. There are guided jeep safaris that can range through the park and discover leopards, elephants, and deer. For comparison, visitor numbers of this park are less, and this is a positive point as it has less footfall compared to other national parks such as Yala National Park.
Open all year; however February till October are ideal since during this period, a villus is visible, making it pretty easy to spot wildlife, with migratory seasons November till April great times to be out spotting migratory birds.