Sri Lanka has been an international surfing destination since the 1970’s when Arugam Bay was hailed as
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Flora & Fauna
Sri Lanka has an incredible variety of flora and fauna as it is a tropical island with abundant rainfall. Among the trees of the dry-land forests are some valuable species, such as satinwood, ebony, ironwood, and mahogany and teak. In the wet zone, the dominant vegetation of the lowlands is a tropical evergreen forest, with tall trees, broad foliage and dense undergrowth of vines and creepers.
Subtropical evergreen forests resembling those of temperate climates flourish in the higher altitudes. Forests at one time covered nearly the entire island, but by the late 20th century lands classified as forests and forest reserves covered only around one-third of the land. As the area covered by forests declined, thereby threatening various species of wildlife, Sri Lanka became the first country in the world to establish a wildlife sanctuary. Among them, the Ruhunu National Park in the southeast protects herds of elephant, deer, and peacocks, and the Wilpattu National Park in the northwest preserves the habitats of many water birds, such as storks, pelicans, ibis, and spoonbills. During the Mahaweli Ganga Program of the 1970s and 1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the government set aside four areas of land totaling 1,900 km² (730 sq mi) as national parks.
The island has three biosphere reserves, Sinharaja, Hurulu, and the Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya. The 18,900-hectare Sinharaja tropical forests; a world heritage site, is a perfect example of the incredible bio-diversity on offer in Sri Lanka. It is home to a profusion of flora and the highest concentration of endemic fauna. Sri Lanka has established a number of ‘wildlife reserves’ that ensure the animals’ and their environments are protected. Seeing these animals in their natural habitat is a unique experience the mighty elephant, leopard, bear and water buffalo head the cast. It can only be added to by the most exotic of bird life, where over species inhabit the island, making it truly a bird watcher’s paradise.
Once colonized for its spices, Sri Lankan boasts a variety of spices including cinnamon, cloves, pepper, turmeric, and nutmeg. Sri Lanka is also famous for its orchids that grow wild in the forests.
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