Wildlife Travel Specialists in Sri Lanka and Indian Sub Continent
Extremely Cute and Cuddly…. but unfortunately extremely endangered too.
Why ??
Well, of course, as always… it’s because of us humans – isn’t that a shame now?
Would you like to get to know them a little bit more and try to do something to save them?
Great! Let’s start then.
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Its Leopards, Leopards and more Leopards…
Doesn’t that get you excited? The graceful feline wandering on the sandy road in Yala National Park at sunset … golden light of the evening sun in perfect harmony with its beautiful skin…actually, that’s every safari goer’s dream shot…for his or her Instagram story. .
And if you plan your safari experience with the experts at Mahoora Tented Camps Yala – on a perfect day – with a bit of luck on your side, you will probably end up having more than one of these dreamy encounters for sure.
Now you are probably wondering why Yala?
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What would you say if I tell you that I can show you “Aragog” and “Kermit” living together??
Would you believe it? Well… why don’t you come down to Sri Lanka and take a walking safari through our world famous rainforest – Sinhajara – with one of the naturalists while staying with Explorer by Eco Team – Mobile Tented Camps Sinharaja, and you will most probably get a chance to see this.
Have I confused you? Well, let me explain then…
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“The Jungle Dragons of Udawalawe”
Remember how “Danareys Tagarian” flew over “King’s Landing” on the mighty dragon – Drogon burning the city to the ground in the famous GOT series? The roar, the fire, the screams…
Frightening right?
What if we say that we have them,“dragons”, living in Sri Lanka?
Well, certainly it will be an exaggeration since our dragons are miniature versions with some major modifications, lol!
They certainly don’t fly and don’t breathe fire but trust me when I say that they have the attitude and a big dragon heart to make up for it ……
Our lizard, the ‘the Jungle Dragon of Sri Lanka’, was spotted by one of our naturalists at the Big Game Camp premises walking through the trees – not flying (that’s a shame, I know) – at Udawalawe one morning while his mate was having a nice breakfast on a termite mound.
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“ What is it like to be a “Sri Lankan Pumba” ???
Wildlife Facts of “Ahaspokuna” – Wild boar Families.
The wild boar is found in many regions of the globe. As “Pumba ” in Serengeti is busy helping “Simba” keep the peace in the savannah, in the highlands of the Ahaspokuna Bush Walk Camp, we have our own Sri Lankan version with their extended families, “rolling” supreme … in the mud actually.
While on a trekking tour from the site, you’re sure to pass their handy work from the previous night. You will definitely see the borrowings and holes throughout the soft moist soil of the misty mountains which these critters have dug through looking for food.
In an early morning nature walk with a Ahaspokuna Bush Walk Camp naturalist, you might be lucky enough to even spot the families rushing into the undergrowth with their babies to find a place to lay low during the day. They are experts when it comes to tracking wildlife. I meant the Ahaspokuna team, not the boars – take my word on that!
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You could say that “Blue” is not a very common colour in Nature, especially among flowers.
And that’s why Belle, from “Beauty and the Beast”, asks her father to bring a “Blue Rose” from his travels … blue flowers are pretty special….
Behold the beautiful Binara, a bright blue flower on a slender herbaceous plant endemic to Sri Lanka.
Known locally as “Ginihiriya” this plant grows to about 1m in height – at an altitude of 2000m. Binara (Genus: Exaccum) boasts of eight species and bears a four-sided stem and its colours vary from shades of white, dark blue to hues of purple.
These flowers are offered for worship in Buddhist temples and also used in Sri Lankan traditional medicine (known as Ayurvedic medicine).
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Sri Lanka is one of the best places in Asia for seeing wildlife. It is also one of the best all-round wildlife destinations in the world for a mix of big game, marine life and varied landscapes.
Sri Lanka is proud of its natural beauty. For over 2,000 years, swathes of land have been preserved as sanctuaries by Sri Lankan royalty. Mihintale, the world’s first reserve, was created here in the third century BC. Now 98 areas, including strict natural reserves, elephant corridor, national parks, nature reserves and sanctuaries are protected lands in the island. Read more
The Sri Lankan Leopard
Panthera pardus kotiya
The first villu (water body) that you encounter when entering the Wipattu National Park has royalty of its own. A majestic Sri Lankan leopard cub who is merely one and a half years old sits proudly on the sandy track leading into the park around five in the evening. Still a young predator, the Prince of Persibeniwewa will soon claim his territory as King. Even though he appears brave and poised in this capture he has to defeat the mature leopard that currently reigns in the territory to become the true King. The cycle of leopards claiming territory, having cubs of their own and witnessing their cubs grow up to become mature predators themselves is quite commonly seen in these eco systems.
A true spectacle to behold, the Minneriya elephant gathering in Sri Lanka lets you witness hundreds of elephants congregate in one area annually! Not only do they gather, but they eat, drink, swim and socialise – think of it as an elephant rave lasting months! The reason for this is that during the dry season – July to September – water and food supply reduce drastically in the region. To cope with this, the elephants congregate around the Minneriya reservoir, inside Minneriya National Park, where grasses are rich and fertile, and water and shade is abundant.
History and Geography
Lying like a tear drop in the Indian Ocean, the island of Sri Lanka defies convention – this tiny island is packed with an enormous population of wildlife! Udawalawe National Park is the sixth largest National Park on the island. The Park is situated just south of the Central Highlands, on the boundary of Sri Lanka’s wet and dry zones, with the Udawalawe Reservoir nestled in the centre. Established in 1972, the Park was created with the objective of protecting the catchment area of the Udawalawe reservoir, which provides water for agriculture and hydro-power generation. This is spread over an area of 30,821 hectares, closely resembling an African game park!
Sri Lanka Wildlife Updates 