purple-faced langurs; hairy bear monkeys;
and toque macaques, notable for their
distinctive thatch of middle-parted hair.
The slow movements of the slender loris
belie its ability to snatch its prey with a
lightning-quick lunge.
More often seen, albeit at different
times of the day, are the majestic Asian
elephant; the omnivorous and tusked wild
boar of Sri Lanka; and cervine creatures
like the big, maned sambar and smaller
white-spotted Axis deer. The bushy-tailed,
five-striped palm squirrel is commonly
seen scurrying around gardens and town
parks. These are often also the locations
of the large trees in which Indian flying
foxes (large fruit-eating bats) camp by the
hundreds.
Mammals don’t just hide out in the
forests and savannahs. The biggest of all
mammals are to be found in the waters off
Sri Lanka. Blue whales and slightly smaller
sperm whales swim along migration cor-
ridors off the coast here. The area around
Dondra Head, at the southern tip of the
country, is being hyped as the best place in
the world to see blue whales.
Birds
A tropical climate, long isolation from the
Asian mainland and a diversity of habitats
have helped endow Sri Lanka with an
astonishing abundance of birdlife. There
are more than 400 species, 26 of which are
unique to Sri Lanka; others are found only
in Sri Lanka and adjacent South India. Of
the estimated 198 migrant species, most
of which are in residence from August to
April, the waders (sandpipers, plovers etc)
are the long-distance champions, making
the journey from their breeding grounds in
the Arctic tundra.
Birders may wish to contact the Field
Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (www.
fogsl.net), the national affiliate of Birdlife
International.Tips for Birdwatchers
̈ Visit a variety of habitats – rainforest, urban
parks and bodies of water in the dry zone – to
see the full diversity of birdlife in Sri Lanka.
̈ February to March is the best time for
birdwatching. You will miss the monsoons, and
the migrant birds will still be visiting.
̈ Waterbirds are active for most of the day.
̈ Although morning is always the best time to
go birdwatching, in the evening you will see noisy
flocks of birds preparing to roost.
̈ Consider taking a tour with a specialist if
you’re keen to see the endemic species and
achieve a healthy birdwatching tally, particularly
if time is short.BEST PLACES FOR ELEPHANTS
Uda Walawe National Park (p 188 ) With around 500 elephants present year-round,
this park offers the most reliable elephant-spotting in the country.
Minneriya National Park (p 213 ) Each August hundreds of elephants home in on this
park in an elephant spectacle known as ‘the Gathering’.
Kaudulla National Park (p 213 ) More than 250 elephants call this park home.
Bundala National Park (p 134 ) Consistent elephant sightings in a beautiful watery
setting.
Yala National Park (p 138 ) Lots of elephants but surprisingly hard to see.BEST PLACES FOR BIRDS
Sinharaja Forest Reserve (p 189 )
A slab of rainforest with around 160
bird species.
Knuckles Range (p161 ) Little-
known montane forests filled with
hill-country and forest birds.
Bundala National Park (p 134 ) This
wetland park is the classic Sri Lankan
birdwatching destination.
Yala (p 138 ) & Kumana (p 239 )
National Parks Superb low-country
birdwatching with around 150
species present.
Muthurajawela Marsh (p86)
Excellent wetland birding close to
Colombo.
Pottuvil Lagoon (p 237 ) Numerous
waders and waterbirds in this little-
visited east-coast wetland.PLAN YOUR TRIP
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