Lahugala National Park

Although Lahugla National Park is one of the smallest national parks in the country, this is a popular location in for elephant enthusiasts, because it is part of the protected 'Elephant Corridor' for the elephant population to move freely across the south-eastern part of the island, and also for bird watchers as the Lahugala tank is also good for spotting a wide range of aquatic birds. The national park located in Moneragala District and contains the reservoirs of Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa and ultimately empties to Heda Oya River.

Size / Area

1,554 hectares

Boundaries

North – Karanda oya.

South – Heda oya

The Park has connected to Gal Oya National Park, Yala National Park (Yala East) as well as to the Elephant Corridor.

History

It was designated as a wildlife sanctuary on July 1st 1966 and then the protected area was upgraded to a national park on October 31st 1980.[2]

Past History

Brohier in his classic works states about the area as “evidently served large and populous regions in ancient times"Lahugala and " it was filled by channel that took off from an anicut thrown across the Heda Oya.” Traces of this ancient channel, which was about 6 miles in length, are in evidence to this oya.^[6]

Nearby is Magul Maha Vihara built in the second century BC, for the occasion of the marriage of King Kavantissa to Princess Viharamahadevi. Later the Vihara is believed to be offered to the Sangha community. The entire Vihara complex had covered an extent of around 10,000 acres where ruins of a palace, moonstone, monastery, bo-maluwa, stupas, ponds etc. are found scattered all over. The moonstone here is said to be unique in the country as this is the only location where elephants are carved with their mahouts in the moonstone. [4]

Take a few hours off from wild life and visit a Muhudu maha viharaa Translated loosely to mean the great shrine by the sea. It is on the beach off Pottuvil and place worth seeing.^[6]

Physical features

The terrain of the park is flat with occasional rocky outcrops.

Bio-diversity

Flora

Between main road and Heda Oya however it is deeply forested, with giant trees, magnificent buttress roots and closely entwined undergrowth. A Dominant grass species called “Beru” (Sacciolepis interrupta) is a main food source for elephants. While growing freely in this area, it is hardly encountered in large expanses in other parts of the island. ^[6]
Lying in the dry zone, the vegetation surrounding the tank is dry mixed evergreen forest with scrub. Common species include weera (Drypetes sepiaria), palu (Manilkara hexandra), halmilla (Berrya cordifolia), milla (Vitex pinnata), satin (Chloroxylon swietenia) and ehala (Cassia fistula). Rivers are fringed by gallery forest. ^[5]

The small plants and bushes include Rathmal (Ixora coccinea) , Ikiri (Holly Mangrove-Acanthus ilicifolius), Kukul atora (Bermuda grass-Cynodon dactylon), and Kala wel (Derris scandens) ^[7,8,9]

Fauna

This national park is used by elephants traditionally as a feeding ground. Large herds up to 150 congregate around the tank during July and August, when the rest of Lahugala’s waters dry up, to drink and feed on the “beru” grass which grows prolifically around the water. Snowy white egrets that can often be seen hitching a ride on the backs of obliging elephants. When the monsoon rains come (October onwards) the elephants disperse drift back to their usual haunts. and large sections of the park turn a brilliant, post-monsoonal green.

Endemic Toque Macaque (Macaca sinica), Tufted Gray Languor (Semnopothicus entellus), Sloth Bear(Melursus ursinus), Golden Jackal(Canis aureus), Rusty-spotted Cat, Fishing Cat, Sri Lanka Leopard, Wild Boar, Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), Sri Lankan Sambar Deer, Spotted deer(Axis axis ceylonensis),  Indian Pangolin and Indian Hare are the other mammals found in the park. ^[2,3]

Butterflys like The common Indian crow (Euploea core), Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon) are also seen.

Among the fish types are habitat in the tanks including Gan theliya (Mastacembelus armatus), Koraliya (Etroplus suratensis), Kawaiya (Climbing Perch-Anabas testudineus) are common ^[7,10] . Number of amphibians including toad and Athukorala's dwarf toad (Bufo atukoralei), Wakareli mediya (Corrugated water frog -Lankanectes corrugatus) are reported.^[7]

Snake and other Reptiles include Pythons, Rat snakes, vipers and a number of lizard types.

Bird Watching

Many wetland birds found in Lahugala Kitulana include Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), purple heron (Ardea purpurea), Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala), Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) and Anas spp.,

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis), and White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also habitat here. Among the numerous types one would see are the Brahminy kites (Haliastur indus), the small but powerful shikras (Accipiter badius), the tank eagles like Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus), and the magnificent white bellied sea eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster) the islands largest bird of prey.

Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans) and Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) are also recorded visiting the wetland. Last recorded sighting of comb duck or Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos), now thought be extinct in Sri Lanka, occurred here. Among the beautiful arboreal types are the orioles, the radiant paradise flycatchers and the minivets.  Red-faced Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus), Sri Lanka Spur Fowl (Galloperdix bicalcarata),  are endemic birds that occur in the park.

Climate

The annual rainfall of the area is about 1,650 millimeters. Northeast monsoon continues during the months November to December and the two dry periods last from May to October and January to March. The terrain of the park is flat with occasional rocky outcrops. The national park’s vegetation is classified into Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests. [2]

Location & Access

At 6 53’- 6 55’N, 81 40’-81 42’E

Lahugala Kitulana is situated 318km east of Colombo.  

Access Routes from Colombo are well-paved, and easily accessible by car.

Lahugala National park lies in the basin of the Heda Oya, 16km inland from the coastal town of Pottuvil in the Monaragala District. The Pottuvil-Monaragala trunk road runs through the south-eastern sector of the park. It is 2 km off the main Monaragala – Pottuvil main road. ^[4]

You’re free to walk into the park from the main road between Arugam Bay and Monaragala, which runs right through it. Be aware, however, that walking through jungle with a large elephant population carries a degree of risk, so it’s best to stick to one of the recognized viewpoints close to the road.

One easy option is to head to Lahugala Hospital (at the 306km post). Just west of here along the main road, several small paths run off to the right to the raised bund at the edge of Lahugala Tank, about 100m away, which offers a secure vantage point and good chances of spotting elephants.^[3]

At the 191 mile post is the now famous an elephant observation point, from where one gets a clear view of almost the entire Lahugala a tanks. The casual visitor could park his vehicle and stay here, even the whole day if he should so desire. However, tempting though it is do not walk along the bund, it is not permitted and it could also be very dangerous. ^[6]

A glimpse of Kitulana too could be had from the road, at a point just before reaching the Lahugala village from the west. Here, however one could alight from his vehicle and if one cares to, a short walk will take him to the bund. ^[6]

....
Map
....

Accomodation

There is no accommodation in the park it self, but Pothuvil and Monaragala can be used as the base when visiting the park.

Hotels near Lahugala

Threats and Conservation

Poaching, logging, fuel wood collection, grazing are the prominent threats to the park.

The Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society has initiated a project to establish an electric fence to protect four villages near the southern boundary of the park.

More Images >>>

References

1. (Sinhala) Senarathna, P.M. (2009). Sri Lankawe Jathika Wanodyana (2nd Ed.). Sarasavi publishers. ISBN 955-573-346-5.
2. https://www.lanka.com/about/attractions/lahugala-kitulana-national-park/
3. http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/asia/sri-lanka/east/arugam-bay-around/lahugala-national-park/#ixzz3zZXfCq6T
4. http://www.angelfire.com/planet/wildlifesl/lahugala/lahugala.htm
5. http://www.dwc.gov.lk/library/Np_lahugala_kithula.html
6. http://www.tourslanka.com/sri_lanka_map/cities/lahugala.html
7. (Sinhala) Sri Lankawe Wananthara- Sarath Ranaweera (1st Ed.).Wasana publishers.(ISBN-955-655-160-3)
8. Names & Detalis of Aurvedic Plants http://www.instituteofayurveda.org/plants/plants_list.php?s=Local_name
9. Names & Details of Weeds http://www.aswenna.com/kala_wel.html
10. Names of details of fish types http://www.fishbase.se/search.php