lugamwehera national park

INTRODUCTION

The national park is falls within the divisional secretaries (DS) divisions of Thanamalwila, Wellawaya, Kataragama and Buttala im Moneragla district and DS divisions of lunugamvenarain Hambantota District.

ACCESS

Via Rathnapura, Uda walawe, Thanamalwila to Lunugamvehera (approximately 231km)
Via Hambantota, tissamaharama, thanamalwila to Lunugamvehera (approximately 265km)

PHYSICAL CHARACTERRISTICS

Lying in the dry zone, conditions is characterized n y an annual drought coinciding with the south-west monsoon. The physiographic of the park is characterized by vest featureless gently undulation plain with rock knob plain generally occupying the slightly elevated areas in south. The total extent of park is 23,498ha. A significant area of the park is occupied by the Lunugamvehera reservoir. Thus the total dry area of the park is 20,156.8ha. the average annual rainfall at Thanamalwila is about 1000mm and the rainfall in the park area decreases from north to south and west to east. The annual average temperature is about 30ºC.

VEGITATION

The vegetation includes different stages of forest succession along with scrub, grasslands mosaics. The shifting cultivaton has caused degradation of the forest communities to open thorny shrub and grassland communities.

FAUNA

Twenty one (21) species, 12 amphibians, 33 reptiles, 184 birds and 43 mammals were recorded.

MAP

Lunugamvehera National Park