Bundala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Bundala National Park lies 251 km southeast of Colombo, close to the city of Hambantota in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Accessible via the A2 main motor road that runs from Colombo to Hambantota, the park is one of the country's most rewarding wildlife destinations — particularly celebrated for its extraordinary birdlife and its role as a seasonal refuge for migratory species arriving from distant shores.

The climate here is hot and dry. The average temperature is 27 degrees Celsius, and annual rainfall ranges between 900 mm and 1,300 mm. The dry season falls between May and September, while the period from September to March brings migratory birds to the park in great numbers.

Landscape

Bundala spreads across an area of 6,216 hectares, composed mainly of dry thorny scrublands, marshes and four brackish lagoons. The terrain is generally flat, with sand dunes bordering the coastline — a mosaic of habitats that supports an exceptional range of flora and fauna.

Birdlife

Each and every species of water bird found in Sri Lanka is believed to visit Bundala. Nearly 200 species of birds have been recorded within the park, of which 58 are migratory. Between September and March, large flocks of migrants arrive, among them the Marsh Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Curlew, Greenshank, Golden Plover, Kentish Plover, Large Sandplover and Lesser Sandplover. The Broad-billed Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope are rare visitors, while the greater flamingo is the most famous of the migrants — flocks of flamingoes are among the most commonly sighted spectacles. At peak times, over 10,000 shore birds may be feeding on any single day.

The lagoons attract a great variety of aquatic birds including ibis, pelicans, painted storks, Black-necked Stork, terns, gulls, sandpipers, snipes, teals, egrets and spoonbills. Endemic species found here include the Brown-capped Babbler, Ceylon Woodshrike and Ceylon Junglefowl.

Mammals

Bundala is home to 32 species of mammals. Among them are civets, wild boars, grey and ruddy mongoose, porcupine, giant Indian palm squirrels, black-naped hares, spotted deer, wild buffalo, jackal and fishing and rusty spotted cats. The most commonly seen mammals are the grey langur and the toque macaque, which move through the park in large groups. A small population of elephants also shelters here, varying between 25 and 60 individuals depending on the season.

Reptiles and Amphibians

Bundala is a habitat for several species of reptiles. The park abounds with estuarine crocodile and mugger crocodile. The coastal area attracts four of Sri Lanka's five marine turtle species — the Loggerhead Turtle, Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle and Olive Ridley — which come ashore to lay their eggs between October and January. Watching egg-laying turtles at night on the beaches of Bundala is described as a sight that no visitor would forget.

Vegetation

Some 383 species of plants have been recorded in Bundala, of which six are endemic and seven are nationally threatened. Prominent species include Weera (Drypetes sepiaria), Palu (Manilkara hexandra), Satin (Chloroxylon swietenia), Kohomba (Azadirachta indica) and Divul (Limonia acidissima). The dominant scrub species is Andara.

Conservation

The CEA conservation management plan and the IUCN's biodiversity assessment report have both proposed several management initiatives for the park. These include re-demarcating the park's boundaries, relocating groups of inhabitants living within it, arresting the spread of invasive alien species, creating an irrigation structure and managing livestock grazing within the park.