A Wildlife Lover's Paradise

If you love animals and birds, and appreciate the beauty of nature, you will find Sri Lanka to be a sanctuary of abundance. Sri Lanka boasts many endemic species of fauna and flora found nowhere else on Earth. Sri Lanka is one of the world's top hotspots for biodiversity.

Sri Lanka is home to a large variety of animals. One of the most notable is the majestic elephant. Blessed are the eyes that manage to spot a herd of elephants bathing in a river, as their young play about in the grassy plains. In addition to elephants, the sloth bear, the Sri Lankan leopard, the sambar, teams of deer, wild buffalo, and many more occupy the dense forests. An uncountable variety of reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish inhabit the island. Do not be surprised if you spot a crocodile swimming about, minding its own business, while you look over into a river flowing under a bamboo bridge. Wilpattu, Horton Plains. Minneriya, Yala, Singharaja, and many other sanctuaries, the numerous rivers, streams, and lakes that run throughout the country, and the beautiful Indian Ocean and surrounding coastline provide homes to this rich ecosystem.

Sri Lanka is a prime hotspot for bird watching. Sri Lanka is home to almost 500 species of birds. You can spend days and days observing spot endemics such such as the Fowl, Pigeon, Parrot, Parakeet, Malkoha, Coucal, Owl, Owlet, Hornbill, Barbet, Magpie, Bulbul, Warbler, Babbler, Thrush, White-eye, Mynah, Starling, Flycatcher, Flowerpecker, Pigeon, Barbet, Flameback, Woodshrike, Drongo, and Swallow. The island also offers the opportunity to observe nearly 200 seasonal migratory birds, both terrestrial and aquatic. These species escape the harsh Northern winter, traveling from as far away as Siberia, Scandinavia, and Western Europe to take refuge in Sri Lanka from August to September and from April to May.

Also, Sri Lanka is the perfect country for whale watching. Trincomalee, a major port city boasting a natural harbor, and the southern waters of Mirissa offer a perfect spot for spotting the blue whale. A rare delight for wildlife enthusiasts, nothing is quite like the shock of seeing the sheer size of these magnificent beasts in the flesh, so be sure to plan your trip around whale watching season.