AL BAWADA SAYS SRI LANKA IS
INCREASINGLY BECOMING A DESTINATION OF ADVENTURE TOURISM
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Middle Eastern Al Bawada news website said many tourists are seeking
Sri Lanka as a a destination of adventure tourism which it called a
“growing global phenomenon.”
Publishing a photograph of a Sri Lankan leopard gracefully walking across
the country’s Yala Wild Life Park the Al Bawada said “Sri
Lanka is a land where you can glimpse a wild elephant, gaze at the pristine
grace of a leopard, see a nesting turtle lay its eggs on the beach or
witness the dazzling display of peacock feathers. The country is blessed
with an abundance of natural diversity despite its small size.”
The Al bawada further said , that this astounding diversity is largely
due to its dramatically different terrains ranging from coastal plains
to hill country and lush rainforests to arid dry zones. Large areas
rich in flora and fauna are conserved in 13 national parks across the
country and over 100 other protected areas, it added.
This is not surprising given the country’s 2000-year old history
of conservation. What was probably the world’s first wildlife sanctuary
was created here in 3rd Century BC.A trip to Sri Lanka’s wildlife
parks is memorable as one is greeted by the sounds of numerous birdcalls,
the website reported. As you enter a park with an expert tracker in
a four-wheel drive vehicle, the jungle comes alive with a myriad sights,
sounds and motions, the website said. “ As the vehicle bumps along
rutty jungle tracks, the scenery is constantly changing. Monkeys scamper
across the path casting anxious glances at the vehicle,”it further
added.
Writing after a visit to the island a journalist wrote in the website
about wild life a Middle Easterner would rarely see: “ A peacock
slowly opens its plumage and strikes up a regal pose for the cameras.
A cuddly white rabbit hops into view, stops and looks enquiringly and
disappears among the foliage just as quickly. Wildlife and nature conservation
in Sri Lanka has a long history. The country’s traditional law
has reference to forests where the felling of timber is prohibited.
Ancient Sri Lanka also had reservoirs built in the forests so that wild
animals would not need to enter human settlements in search of water.
There are many tanks and waterways in and around the wildlife parks
of Sri Lanka and there are plenty of crocodiles in the water.
Water Monitors, Iguanas and a variety of lizards also inhabit the jungles
of Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka has more than 950,000 hectares of national parks,
sanctuaries and nature reserves. Popular among them are the Bundala
National Park, Horton Plains, Kumana Bird Park, Sinharaja Forest, Wasgomuwa
National Park, Wilpattu National Park and Yala National Park and the
Habarana Safari Park. Large and small herds of elephants are a common
sight at the Yala National Park. It also has the largest leopard population
in Sri Lanka. Common also are large herds of Spotted Deer and Sambhur,
Wild Buffalo, bears and different species of monkey are also in plenty.
Among the primates are several species of monkeys including the macaque
and the large-eyed Loris.
“The scaly pangolin can also be spotted along with wild buffalo,
giant squirrel, wild boar, jungle cat and the cat-like palm quivet.
The wildlife parks are also home to a variety of birds. Peacocks, painted
storks, herons, parrots, spoonbills, bee-eaters, hornbills, woodpeckers
and many more of over 450 species of birds can be observed. Some of
them are migrant and seasonal. The Siberian duck for instance fly away
from the winter to the moderate climate in Sri Lanka. Twenty-six species
of birds are endemic to Sri Lanka. Apart from birds, the other brilliantly
coloured creatures seen flying in the island’s skies are over 250
species of butterfly, most of them found in the foothills up to about
900 metres.
“Sri Lanka also has an intriguing number of creatures that slither,
swim or jump, with 54 species of freshwater fish, and a variety of frogs
and reptiles. In addition, there are 3,350 species of flowering plants,
lush tropical fruits, majestic tall trees, lush undergrowth, and rare
orchids and medicinal plants. Wildlife trips offering tourists up-close
views of nature’s beauty and beasts in their natural habitat are
a fast-growing niche and form part of Sri Lanka’s eco-tourism industry.
The animals, despite being wild, aren’t prone to attack and even
though game-hunting draws tourists to certain countries, in Sri Lanka,
guests shoot with their cameras and not their rifles.”
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