BUNDALA NATIONAL PARK is a unique area. The thorny scrub jungle is home to spotted deer, the rare pangolin and the playful grey langur monkey. A walk along the beach at dawn reveals unusual tracks in the sand. A sea turtle has come ashore to lay her eggs during the night. The picturesque lagoons and inter-tidal mud flats are alive with flashes of brilliant colour as wintering birds arrive to rest and feed. Welcome to Bundala,the world at the edge where the land, the sea, and the wetlands meet. BUNDALA NATIONAL PARK, covering an area of 6216 hectares of eco tourism appeal, is located about 250km southeast of Colombo in the Hambantota district. The park falls within the southeastern arid zone of Sri Lanka, with a general climate that can be classified as hot and dry. The terrain is generally flat with sand dunes bordering the coastline, and vegetation consists mainly of dry thorny scrublands and lagoons.
The bio diversity of this park is immense: A total of 383 plant species have been recorded from the park, including 6 endemics and 7 species that are considered nationally threatened.
It is also home to 32 different species of mammal, 5 of which are classified as threatened. The bird life is also diverse. For keen bird-watchers, the complex wetland system harbours a rich bird life (approximately 197 species), including several species of migratory waterfowl. This has led to the declaration of the park as Sri Lanka ‘s first ‘Ramsar’ wetland – one of great international importance especially for migratory waterfowl. Bundala in the South East of Sri Lanka is a wonderful introduction to the country’s National Parks. It is famous for its diversity and profusion of aquatic bird life which feed on the rich harvest provided by the numerous lagoons throughout the park.
It forms the most important wetland sanctuary, outside of the Northern Province, for migratory shore-birds including the Greater Flamingo. The park covers approximately 6000 hectares of brackish lagoons, salt pans, inter-tidal mudflats and thorny scrub jungle.
There is a small population of elephants which are fairly easy to spot in the open habitat; it is not unheard of to find one walking along the beach in perfect isolation. Leopards can also be found in the park preying on the numerous Spotted deer, Sambar and Barking deer.
Sightings are very rare but it is worth exploring several rocky outcrops where previous sightings have occurred. As well as leopards there are Sloth bears, Jackals, Giant squirrels, Indian pangolin and Civet cats. Marsh and estuarine crocodiles are both found in Bundala in addition to Monitor lizards and a variety of other reptiles.
Of the 150 bird species listed in the park, every species of water bird found in the country is said to visit here. The rare Black-necked stork and Great Thick-knee are particular birding highlights. It is easy to spot Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Spoonbill, Red Shank, Green Shank, Spot-billed Pelican, Blue-faced Malkoha, Brahminy Kite, Crested Hawk eagle and Brown Shrike, to name but a few. Migrants and vagrants make the journey from as far as Siberia ; over 10,000 shore birds might be feeding at any one time between October and March. Along the coastal road leading from nearby Hambantota, where you will be based, to Bundala is another haven for wildlife with several more bird species to be seen. This coastal area also attracts four out of Sri Lanka ‘s five sea turtle species, which come ashore to lay their eggs. This park is much less visited than Yala, so largely avoids the weekend crowds.
Bundala is the only National Park in Sri Lanka, where you get to observe both species of crocodiles existing in the country. A vast concentration of estuarine crocodiles live in the lagoon areas and in the estuary of the Kirindi Oya river, while the mugger or the freshwater crocodile dwells in the small freshwater lakes and in the upper regions of the Kirindi Oya.
The estuarine crocodile is the largest reptile alive today. The male of the species, grows to a length of seven metres and can weigh around 1200kg, with the female much smaller in comparison at around three metres in length. The female crocodile digs a hole in the sand several metres away from the water, lays around fifty eggs and provides protection to the nest by ensuring she stays close to the vicinity. When its time for the eggs to hatch, She is on hand to lend a helping hand to the new borns by carrying them to the water and also providing Motherly care until they are able to fend for themselves. Despite all this attention and care by the mother, the percentage of survival of these baby crocodiles is very sparse as they not only fall prey to turtles and other large fish but also to the adult male crocodiles who hunt them down to protect their own territory.
