SLT RAINBOW PAGES

Gal-Oya National Park Sanctuary


This National Park was established in 1954 mainly to protect the catchment area of the SenanayakeSamudra Reservoir andhanded over to the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1965. It is 25,900 hectares in extent. Approximately 45% of thepark is covered with forests, 33% with savannah, 9% grasslands and the balance with water bodies. The park does not have anybungalows within its premises but the Department offers one bungalow which is situated outside the park at EkgalAru. Thereare camp sites inside the park at Kossapola and "Makara". The latter being on the sandy banks of the Gal Oya overlooking thereservoir is one of the most scenic places to camp. The savannah forest areas can be approached from the Bibile-Ampara road witha turnoff at Karandugala to reach the Nilgala Wildlife beat office.

How to get there:- Colombo - Ratnapura - Pelmadulla - Godakawela - Udawalawa - Tanamalwila - Wellawaya - Moneragala - Inginiyagala.

BIRDS: Painted Partridge, Jungle Bush Quail, Yellow-Legged Green Pigeon, Ceylon Frogmouth, Brown Fish Owl, SouthernSirkeer, Scaly-Bellied Woodpecker, Brown-Capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Ceylon Spur Fowl, Southern Sirkeer, Racket-TailedDrongo, Crested Serpent & Crested Hawk Eagles, White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Grey-Headed Fish Eagle, Forest Eagle Owl, FishOwl, Little Scops Owl, Paradise Flycatcher, and Thick-Billed Flowerpecker.

Related Articles

Kitulgala Forest Reserve

Kitulgala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rain forest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest pl...

Wasgamuwa National Park Sanctuary

Wasgamuwa National Park is a natural park in Sri Lanka situated in the Matale and Polonnaruwa Districts

Giants Tank Sanctuary

Giant's Tank Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in northern Sri Lanka, approximately 20 km south east of Mannar.

Kumana-Yala East National Park

The Kumana National Park, also known as Yala East National Park is located in the Ampara district of south-east of Sri Lanka at a distance of 391 kilo...

Udawalawa Bird Sanctuary

Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, in Sri Lanka. The national park was created to provide a sanctuary for...

Horton Plains

Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. This plate...

Labugama-Kalatuwawa Forest

The mountain is mainly covered by Labugama - Kalatuwawa Forest Strict Reserve which is roughly the catchment area of the said reservoirs and is home t...

Sigiriya Sanctuary

King Kashyapa built his rock fortress in the 5th century so as to have a bird's eye view of approaching enemies. Today, from its summit it is birds an...

View all Articles