Thaproban Sri Lanka


Wildlife of Sri Lanka





Sri Lanka boasts a rich and diverse wildlife, home to iconic species like elephants, leopards, and endemic birds, thriving in its national parks, rainforests, and coastal ecosystems.



Top 8 National Parks





Sri Lanka is a wildlife haven, home to leopards, elephants, blue whales, and exotic birds. Its lush national parks offer incredible encounters with rare and diverse species year-round.



01. Willpattu National Park



Wilpattu National Park is Sri Lanka’s largest and oldest national park, known for its unique network of natural lakes and thriving leopard population.





Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest, is known for its serene landscapes of lakes, scrub jungle, and grasslands. Home to elephants, sloth bears, water buffalo, and the elusive leopard, it offers a secluded wildlife experience. Its diverse habitats attract a rich variety of bird species, including painted storks and kingfishers, making it a top destination for nature enthusiasts.



Sri Lankan Jackal (Canis aureus naria)



Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus)



Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)



Purple-faced Langur (Trachypithecus vetulus)



Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya)



Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii)



02. Minneriya and Kaudulla



Minneriya National Park hosts the world's largest gathering of Asian elephants.





Located in the Cultural Triangle, Minneriya National Park offers a quieter safari experience. Best visited from June to September, the park’s ancient reservoir attracts up to 150 elephants, along with deer, leopards, and diverse birdlife. Its rich ecosystem includes forests, grasslands, and wetlands, supporting a variety of wildlife.



Sri Lankan Elephants (Elephas maximus maximus)



Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya)



​Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus)



Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)



Crested Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus cirrhatus)



Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis)



03. Yala National Park



Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s second largest and most visited, spans nearly 400 square miles and is a top safari destination.





Yala National Park, in Sri Lanka’s arid southeast, spans 151,778 hectares and is the country’s premier wildlife sanctuary. Declared a national park in 1938, it features diverse habitats, from scrub plains to mangroves, supporting elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and the endangered Sri Lankan leopard. Block 1 boasts the world’s highest leopard density. Historically, Yala was a center of Buddhist learning, home to 12,000 monks, with sites like Situlpahuwa Rock Temple and Magul Maha Vihara still drawing pilgrims today.



Sri Lankan Elephants (Elephas maximus maximus)



Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya)



Spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)



Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus arnee)



Toque Macaque (Macaca sinica)



Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak)



04. Udawalawa National Park



Udawalawe is Sri Lanka’s ultimate year-round destination to witness wild Asian elephants in their natural habitat.





Udawalawe, resembling an African game park, is a top spot to see wild Asian elephants year-round. Covering 30,821 hectares, it is also home to leopards, buffalo, deer, sloth bears, and diverse birdlife, especially raptors and winter migrants (Oct–Mar). The best wildlife sightings occur in the mornings and evenings, with stunning sunsets for photography.



Sri Lankan Elephants



Yellow-wattled Lapwing



Crocodile or Mugger



Black-naped Hare



​Fishing Cat



Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)



05. Kumana National Park



Kumana National Park is a paradise for birdwatchers, home to over 200 bird species, including both migratory and endemic varieties.





Kumana National Park, adjoining Yala on Sri Lanka’s southeast coast, is a top birdwatching destination with over 255 recorded species. Declared a national park in 1938, it features lagoons and swamps that serve as vital nesting and breeding grounds. From April to July, thousands of migratory birds, including rare species like the Black-necked Stork and Eurasian Spoonbill, flock to the park.



Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)



Little Cormorant (Microcarbo)



Black-headed Ibis



Malabar Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros coronatus)



Great stone-curlew or Great thick-knee (Esacus recurvirostris)



Orange-breasted Green Pigeon (Treron bicinctus)



06. Bundala National Park



Designated by UNESCO in 2005, Bundala is Sri Lanka’s only coastal Biosphere Reserve.





Bundala & Tissa wetlands span 20km of beaches, lagoons, and scrub, hosting 150+ bird species and Sri Lanka’s first Ramsar site. A key stop for migratory birds, including flamingos, the lagoons also attract crocodiles, while endangered marine turtles nest along the shores from October to January.



Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)



Ceylon Spotted Deer (Axis axis ceylonensis)



Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)



Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)



​Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura)



Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)



07. Horton Plains National Park



Horton Plains is Sri Lanka’s only national park declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.





Horton Plains, a stunning highland plateau in Sri Lanka’s central highlands, features cloud forests, montane grasslands, and diverse wildlife, including sambar deer, leopards, and rare birds. A top hiking destination, it offers breathtaking scenery and leads to World’s End, a dramatic cliff with panoramic views stretching to the ocean.



Sri Lankan Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor unicolor)



Sri Lankan Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor unicolor)



Stripe-necked Mongoose (Herpestes vitticollis)



Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)



Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus)



Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus)



08. Wasgamuwa National Park



Wasgamuwa is home to 23 mammal species, 143 bird species, 35 reptiles, 15 amphibians, 17 fish species, and 52 butterfly species.





Wasgamuwa National Park, spanning 39,000 hectares across the Central and North Central provinces, is known for its riverine forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Home to elephants, sloth bears, deer, wild boar, and over 140 bird species, it is also rich in cultural heritage, with ruins dating back to the Sinhala kings, including the 1,800-year-old Buduruwayaya archaeological site.



Sri Lankan Jungle Fowl (Gallus lafeyetii)



Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis)



Purple-faced Langur (Trachypithecus vetulus)



Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus)



Lesser Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna javanica)



Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus arnee)



Thaproban Sri Lanka





No 196, Ranaviru Mawatha, Ambalammula, Seeduwa 11410, Sri Lanka.

Tel +94 76 333 7295





© 2025 Thaproban Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved