>Maduru oya national park

Maduru Oya wild life reserve in Sri Lanka

River Maduru Oya rising from the low hills extending from the Lunugala ridges and to the North of Uva basin, flows northward and turns east near Welikanda and flows into the long narrow lagoon which extends inland from the Vandaloos bay between At-tuduwa to the North and Passikudha to the South. Maduru Oya wild life reserve in Sri Lanka is ideal for watching mammals like the elephant and the endemic birds

Though confined to the Dry zone lowlands with rains confined to three months of the year Nov – Jan. and with intermittent inter-monsoon rains, Maduru Oya Park is well watered by a number of reservoirs such as Maduru Oya reservoir, Ratkinda, Ulhitiya etc. and tributaries of Mahaweli and Maduru Oya.

All these reservoirs are also fed by the waters of Mahaweli through canals and tunnels enriching the surrounding area providing ample water for the existence of the flora and fauna. This park had been and is the home for a variety of wild life indicating the riches in the bio-diversity of the Park. Endemic species of animals such as the Sambhur, purple monkey and a number of birds.
Maduru Oya wild life reserve is ideal for watching mammals like the elephant and the endemic birds

Maduru Oya park lies within parts of three districts, namely Polonnaruwa, Badulla and Ampara and this area originally had been waged between the alkies of kings as Vijayabahu I, Parakemabahu I and their rivals.

The idea of establishing this park is to protect the catchment areas of the main reservoirs under the Mahaveli schema and to provide a safe haven for the already depleting mammals like the elephant and create a large area for their movement and for the endemic birds.

This park which was created in 1983 was extended in 1985 to cover an area of 58,850 hectares. This area is being recognised as the most valuable conservation for elephants and endemic birds of Sri Lanka.

Wild animals that roam the park comprises elephants, bears, leopards, sambhur, water buffalo, purple monkey, variety of deer, reptiles etc. Aquatic birds thriving, associated with the water bodies here are numerous as the white bellied sea eagle, great cormorant, little cormorant, painted stosk.. Omer species of birds are the Sri Lankan jungle fowl, tailorbird, white ramped shama, black hooded oriole, red faced malkoha etc.

In addition, Maduru Oya Park is historically valuable too as there are numerous places where ancient Buddha ruins are found inside the Park and also ruins of a much advanced irrigated system that had been in existence in the olden days. South and South east of the park surrounded by jungle provide the necessary living environment for the Veddahs, an indigenous people of Sri Lanka.