Udawalawe National Park - a dense elephant population
Uda Walawe National Park, falling into two different provinces of Sri Lanka, Uva and Sabaragamuwa, and located just 15 km north of the Southern Province, is well-known as one of the world's best places to see wild elephants. It’s not unusual to see whole herds of female adults and young elephants, feeding or sometimes bathing and playing in the water. In fact, there are two very different national parks in Sri Lanka famous popular with travellers who want to join a safari to observe Asian elephants in the first place, namely Minneriya and Udawalawe. The difference is not only the location, Minneriya is situated to the north and Udawalawe to the south of the central hillcountry. The main differences are the season suitable for elephant safaris and the kind of elephant herds that can be sighted. Minneriya is open only during the northern hemisphere summer months, when the world’s largest herd of Asian elephants gather at the lake during the local dry season, a seasonal super-herd, so to speak. In contrast, Udawalawe is open throughout the year. The elephant herds are much smaller, usually consisting of 5 to 15 individuals. But there are indeed plenty of herds roaming in Udawalawe National Park. This is to say: Only Udawalawe offers “elephant guarantee” in each and every season and you will most probalby spot more than one herd on the same safari.
Content of our Uda Walawe page:
Walawe River - Walawe Tank - History - Flora - Fauna - Safaris - Elephant Transit Home - Accommodation
Walawe River - Walawe Tank - History - Flora - Fauna - Safaris - Elephant Transit Home - Accommodation
This is why Udawalawe National Park, though only the sixth largest wildlife sanctuary of Sri Lanka and despite very low chances to spot leopards, has successfully attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors in recent dacades. Regarding safari visitor numbers, Udawalawe is one of the Top 4 national parks in Sri Lanka, besides the said Minneriya and the larger and older parks of Yala and Wilpattu, which are more famous for leopards than for elephant herds. Many holiday makers are happy to get within only several metres of elephants at Udawalawe during their safari tour.
In addition to this main attraction, the Udawalawe National Park is a habitat of numerous feral buffalos. Chances to observe monkeys and axis deer amd birds of prey are very high, too. Chances are lower - but still good - to sight wild boars or jackels or sambar deer or giant squirrels or crocodiles ot monitor lizzards or mongoose. As already mentioned, you will probably not be able to spot leopards, although they occor within the national park boundaries. The same applies to sloth bears, they are rarely sighted in Usawalawe.
In addition to this main attraction, the Udawalawe National Park is a habitat of numerous feral buffalos. Chances to observe monkeys and axis deer amd birds of prey are very high, too. Chances are lower - but still good - to sight wild boars or jackels or sambar deer or giant squirrels or crocodiles ot monitor lizzards or mongoose. As already mentioned, you will probably not be able to spot leopards, although they occor within the national park boundaries. The same applies to sloth bears, they are rarely sighted in Usawalawe.
As in the case of many Sri Lankan toponyms, there are various spellings of „Udawalawe“, such as „Udawalawa“ or „Uda Walawe“. The pronunciation is „Ude Wulewe“, stressed on the first syllable of the second word.
Walawe River
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Walawe Ganga, the namegiving river dividing the national park into two very distinct areas, is the central and major river of Sri Lanka’s so-called Deep South. It’s the longest and water-richest river in the southern lowlands of the island, with a length of 138 kilometers and a catchment area of 2500 square kilometers. The upper half of the catchment area lies in the wet zone, whereas the balance lies in the dry zone of the Southern Province. Udawalawe, 40 km north of the river mouth, belongs to the intermediate zone. The springs are at the southern slopes of the Peak Wilderness mountain range, Belihul Oya, the main tributary, rises on Horton Plains. The river mouth of the Walawe Ganga is in Ambalantota, 10 km to the east of Hambantota.
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The most important town along the Walawe Ganga is Balangoda in 20 km distance to the northeast of Udawalawe National Park, as the crow flies. The river flows are the fourth highest in Sri Lanka, after Mahaweli Ganga to the north and Kalu Ganga and Kelani Ganga to the west. This is why Walawe is one of the very few rivers in Sri Lanka called "Ganga" instead of "Oya", although the term “Walawe Oya” occurs occasionally, too. In recent decades, deforestation and irrigation of monocultures such as pine and eucalyptus have reduced the water levels in the Walawe Ganga.
Uda Walawe Reservoir and Dam
With a total length of 4 km, the Udawalawe Dam is the largest modern irrigation dam in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Since 1969, the reservoir dam is used for hydroelectric power generation. The Udawalalawa reservoir is situated completely within the national park premises and forms its centrepiece. The total surface area of the reservoir is 34 square kilometers, it measures 8.5 km in length, with a maximum width of roughly 4.5 km. One ovjective of the establishment of Udawalawe National Park was the protection of the reservoir’s catchment area. Green algae and blue green algae species occur in the reservoir. Tilapia mossambica, a popular fish species for aquaculture, has been introduced by the Fisheries Department. As this reservoir is not ancient, the creeks are now crowded with skeletons of trunks of trees killed by the dammed water. The banks of the Udawalawe reservoir are lightly vegetated grassland plains, the lack of dense vegetation makes wildlife observations easy.
History of a national park for elephants
Udawalawe was declared Sri Lanka’s fifth national park (after Wilpattu, Yala, Gal Oya and Kumana) in 1972, aiming to provide a sanctuary for wild elephants displaced by the extansion of cultivated farmland in the Balangoda area and by the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir. It lies in Sri Lanka’s intermediate zone, having an an annual rainfall of 1500 mm. The temperature in the National Park is relatively uniform about 28 degree centigrades throughout the year. Relative humidity varies from 70% to 82%.
The park covering 308 square kilometers is inhabited by an elephant population of 500 to 600 animals. This is one of the highest elephant pupulation densities in the entire world. The park boundaries are fenced to protect surrounding farmlands from elephant oncursions. This also prevents elephants from migratory movements and is the main reason why the numbers of elephants are almost constant throughout the year, whereas variations of populations, due to seasonal migrations, are common in all other elephant regions of Sri Lanka.
Udawalawe, like all major national parks of Sri Lanka, is adminstered be the National Department of Wildlife Conservation, which was established in 1949 shortly after the independence of Ceylon. The department is not only responsible for wildlife protection within the national park borders, but also operates the attached Elephant Transit Home.
The park covering 308 square kilometers is inhabited by an elephant population of 500 to 600 animals. This is one of the highest elephant pupulation densities in the entire world. The park boundaries are fenced to protect surrounding farmlands from elephant oncursions. This also prevents elephants from migratory movements and is the main reason why the numbers of elephants are almost constant throughout the year, whereas variations of populations, due to seasonal migrations, are common in all other elephant regions of Sri Lanka.
Udawalawe, like all major national parks of Sri Lanka, is adminstered be the National Department of Wildlife Conservation, which was established in 1949 shortly after the independence of Ceylon. The department is not only responsible for wildlife protection within the national park borders, but also operates the attached Elephant Transit Home.
Flora of Udawalawe NP
Due to its location in between the wet zone (Sinharaja Rain Forest is in only 40 km distance further west) and the dry zone, the climate differs from that in most other parts of the island, as there are two local rainy seasons in Udawalawe, namely northern hemisphere spring and autumn. The autumn month correspond to the anti-monsoon wet season of Sri Lanka’s dry zone. But the spring is an additional wet season at Udawalawe. The two peak rainfalls are in April and October. However, in this area precipitation levels of dry season and wet seasen differ less than in other national parks.
Prior to the designation of the national park, local farmers were removed from the area. The region had previously been used for shifting cultivation called “chena” in Sri Lanka. Areas of open grassland are abundant in Udawalawe as a result of these former farming practices. The habitat surrounding at the reservoir also includes marshes. Further east, just in the flat area crossed by jeep safaris, dry scrubland interspersed by small grassland clearings is the predominant form of vegetation. This mix of horny-shrub jungle, savannas and water surfaces is the favourite environment of elephants.
The park area to the west of Walawa river is more undulating and more densely covered with forests. Arjun trees (Terminalia arjuna), known as Kumbuk in Sinhala, together with endemic Mandorang trees (Hopea cordifolia) abound in the riverine areas, its dark yellowish-brown wood is very hard and heavy. Milla-trees (Vitex pinnata) are also common species close to the riverbanks in Udawalawe. The strong and durable Milla wood, also yellowidh, is very popular in carpentry, it‘s used for premium furniture. This tree is known as „Tinnok“ in Thailand or „Laban“ in Indonesia. Scattered trees are Satin (Chloroxylon swietenia), Ehala (Cassia fistula) and Lunumidella (Melia dubia). Ebony (Diospyros ebenum) also occurs in Udawalawe National Park.
The shrubland is dominated by Dhaman (Grewia tiliifolia), a deciduous bush or tree known as Damaniya in Sri Lanka. The medium-sized tree can be 20 m tall. Damaniya has edible fruits. One endemic species of small trees or bushes occuring in Udawalawe is Memecylon petiolatum. A climbing shrub is Jasminum grandiflorum, the flowers of this Jasmine species endemic to the subcontinent play a role in Buddhist and Hindu temple offerings and garlands.
Altogether, 94 plant species are recorded in Udawalawe National Park. Another endemic species is a bush known as „batakirilla“ in Sinhala. The scientific name Erythroxylum zeylanicum indicates that it belongs to Erythroxylaceae family, also known as “coca family”, as the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca) is one its species. Sri Lanka’s Erythroxylum zeylanicum is rich in alcaloids, too, and used in Ayurvedic treatments of dysentery. The bush does not occur in the scrublands but in the wet areas of the forest.
Emblic myrobalane trees (Phyllanthus emblica) with edible fruits known as “Indian gooseberry” and beleric myrobalane trees (Terminalia bellirica) are plants of medicinal value found in the Udawalawe forests, too.
Remarkably, invasive weeds growing in the former Chena cultivation areas have become the main source of food for wild elephants in Udawalawe. Spear grass (Imperata cylindrica), although native to South Asia and used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine and known as “Illuk” in Sinhala, is considered a serious weed not only in crops but also in natural biotopes. Due to its ability to effectively compete for water and nutrients, it is able to dominate large areas by excluding native plant, thereby causing environmental damage. Another very common species in Udawalawe‘s savannas is mission grass (Pennisetum polystachion). Native to tropical Africa, it has become an invasive species in Sri Lanka. Last not least, Guinea grass (Panicum maximum), also known as „green panic grass“, is widespread in Udawalawe. It‘s an invasive weed from Africa, too. Reaching heights of more than 3 metres, guinea grass has become an important source of food for elephants. Of course, there are domestic grass species too in Udawalawe. The most common is awned citronella grass (Cymbopogon confertiflorus), known as Mana in Sinhala. It‘s cosidered the same species as the cultivated awnless citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus). In fact both forms occur wild in Sri Lanka.
Prior to the designation of the national park, local farmers were removed from the area. The region had previously been used for shifting cultivation called “chena” in Sri Lanka. Areas of open grassland are abundant in Udawalawe as a result of these former farming practices. The habitat surrounding at the reservoir also includes marshes. Further east, just in the flat area crossed by jeep safaris, dry scrubland interspersed by small grassland clearings is the predominant form of vegetation. This mix of horny-shrub jungle, savannas and water surfaces is the favourite environment of elephants.
The park area to the west of Walawa river is more undulating and more densely covered with forests. Arjun trees (Terminalia arjuna), known as Kumbuk in Sinhala, together with endemic Mandorang trees (Hopea cordifolia) abound in the riverine areas, its dark yellowish-brown wood is very hard and heavy. Milla-trees (Vitex pinnata) are also common species close to the riverbanks in Udawalawe. The strong and durable Milla wood, also yellowidh, is very popular in carpentry, it‘s used for premium furniture. This tree is known as „Tinnok“ in Thailand or „Laban“ in Indonesia. Scattered trees are Satin (Chloroxylon swietenia), Ehala (Cassia fistula) and Lunumidella (Melia dubia). Ebony (Diospyros ebenum) also occurs in Udawalawe National Park.
The shrubland is dominated by Dhaman (Grewia tiliifolia), a deciduous bush or tree known as Damaniya in Sri Lanka. The medium-sized tree can be 20 m tall. Damaniya has edible fruits. One endemic species of small trees or bushes occuring in Udawalawe is Memecylon petiolatum. A climbing shrub is Jasminum grandiflorum, the flowers of this Jasmine species endemic to the subcontinent play a role in Buddhist and Hindu temple offerings and garlands.
Altogether, 94 plant species are recorded in Udawalawe National Park. Another endemic species is a bush known as „batakirilla“ in Sinhala. The scientific name Erythroxylum zeylanicum indicates that it belongs to Erythroxylaceae family, also known as “coca family”, as the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca) is one its species. Sri Lanka’s Erythroxylum zeylanicum is rich in alcaloids, too, and used in Ayurvedic treatments of dysentery. The bush does not occur in the scrublands but in the wet areas of the forest.
Emblic myrobalane trees (Phyllanthus emblica) with edible fruits known as “Indian gooseberry” and beleric myrobalane trees (Terminalia bellirica) are plants of medicinal value found in the Udawalawe forests, too.
Remarkably, invasive weeds growing in the former Chena cultivation areas have become the main source of food for wild elephants in Udawalawe. Spear grass (Imperata cylindrica), although native to South Asia and used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine and known as “Illuk” in Sinhala, is considered a serious weed not only in crops but also in natural biotopes. Due to its ability to effectively compete for water and nutrients, it is able to dominate large areas by excluding native plant, thereby causing environmental damage. Another very common species in Udawalawe‘s savannas is mission grass (Pennisetum polystachion). Native to tropical Africa, it has become an invasive species in Sri Lanka. Last not least, Guinea grass (Panicum maximum), also known as „green panic grass“, is widespread in Udawalawe. It‘s an invasive weed from Africa, too. Reaching heights of more than 3 metres, guinea grass has become an important source of food for elephants. Of course, there are domestic grass species too in Udawalawe. The most common is awned citronella grass (Cymbopogon confertiflorus), known as Mana in Sinhala. It‘s cosidered the same species as the cultivated awnless citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus). In fact both forms occur wild in Sri Lanka.
Fauna of Udawalawe NP
Species recorded from the park include 43 mammals, 33 reptiles (most of them snake species), 12 amphibians, and 184 birds, as the reservoir became an important breeding place for aquatic birds. 33 species are migratory such as Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) and Harris’s Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus). Apart from Gal Oya, Udawalawe National Park is one of the best places to see birds of prey in Sri Lanka. Chances are good to see white-bellied sea eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster) or grey-headed fish eagles (Haliaeetus ichthyaetus) or changeable hawk-eagles (Nisaetus cirrhatus) or crested serpent-eagle (Spilornis cheela). Brahminy kites (Haliastur indus) are very common raptors in Sri Lanka.
Endemic bird species occuring in Udawalawe are Sri Lanka spurfowl (Galloperdix bicalcarata), Sri Lanka junglefowl (Gallus lafayettii), Sri Lanka grey hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis ) and brown-capped babbler (Pellorneum fuscocapillus).
Garra ceylonensis is an endemic fish species recorded in park and the only fish species native to the area, as other fish species are imported.
Both species of monitor lizzards occur in Udawalawe Park, the Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator) preferring Sri Lanka’s wetlands as well as Bengal monitors (Varanus bengalensis) inhabiting the island’s dryzone.
Apart from leopards, some more members of the family Felidae are present in the park, although rarely sighted. The rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), one of the cat family's smallest members, is native to India and Sri Lanka. The medium-sized fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is native to the subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Of similar size is the jungle cat (Felis chaus), which occurs in a larger area from the Middle East to southern China, too.
The endemic Ceylon spiny mouse, first recorded in Yala National Park, was later on sighted in Udawalawe, too.
Endemic bird species occuring in Udawalawe are Sri Lanka spurfowl (Galloperdix bicalcarata), Sri Lanka junglefowl (Gallus lafayettii), Sri Lanka grey hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis ) and brown-capped babbler (Pellorneum fuscocapillus).
Garra ceylonensis is an endemic fish species recorded in park and the only fish species native to the area, as other fish species are imported.
Both species of monitor lizzards occur in Udawalawe Park, the Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator) preferring Sri Lanka’s wetlands as well as Bengal monitors (Varanus bengalensis) inhabiting the island’s dryzone.
Apart from leopards, some more members of the family Felidae are present in the park, although rarely sighted. The rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), one of the cat family's smallest members, is native to India and Sri Lanka. The medium-sized fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is native to the subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Of similar size is the jungle cat (Felis chaus), which occurs in a larger area from the Middle East to southern China, too.
The endemic Ceylon spiny mouse, first recorded in Yala National Park, was later on sighted in Udawalawe, too.
Elephant Safaris in Udawalawe NP
The entrance gate to Uda Walawe National Park is situated at Thanamalwila Road (B 427) just 5 km to the east of the Udawalawe Dam, 12 km away from the Ratnapura–Hambantota mainroad (A18). The distance to Embilipitiya, the nearest larger town, is 25 km.
Visitors buy tickets in the office at the park entrance, where jeeps with drivers and rangers are avalaible for those who did not reserve the safari in advance. Last tickets are usually sold at 5.00 p.m.
As elephants can be seen at Udawalawe every afternoon, the national park has become a major tourist destination for day-trips from the island‘s southern beach resorts. Chances of observing a herd of Asian elephants is highest near the reservoir of Udawalawe, particularly during the local dry season from June to September, when herds sometimes roam in herds of up to 100 animals. As already mentioned, Udawalawe National Park is unique in terms of consistency in numbers of elephants present in the park, because there is no seasonal migration to other areas of Sri Lanka. Access for visitors is restricted to the scrublands east of Walawe river and reservoir. The more densely forested hilly area to the northwest of the reservoir will not be visited on safaris.
On your Udawalawe elephant safari, you will probably see both lonesome males and small herds of about 10 elephant cows with their offspring. Occasionally, bull elephants gather or even live in very small groups of about tree individuals. In such cases, there is usually only one older bull accompanied by younger adult males.
Be aware, though accustomed to large visitor numbers, the elephants in the park are wild beasts. Female elephants with offspring can get nervous or even aggressive when disturbed. For your own safety, you are not allowed to leave the jeep without permission of the ranger.
Visitors buy tickets in the office at the park entrance, where jeeps with drivers and rangers are avalaible for those who did not reserve the safari in advance. Last tickets are usually sold at 5.00 p.m.
As elephants can be seen at Udawalawe every afternoon, the national park has become a major tourist destination for day-trips from the island‘s southern beach resorts. Chances of observing a herd of Asian elephants is highest near the reservoir of Udawalawe, particularly during the local dry season from June to September, when herds sometimes roam in herds of up to 100 animals. As already mentioned, Udawalawe National Park is unique in terms of consistency in numbers of elephants present in the park, because there is no seasonal migration to other areas of Sri Lanka. Access for visitors is restricted to the scrublands east of Walawe river and reservoir. The more densely forested hilly area to the northwest of the reservoir will not be visited on safaris.
On your Udawalawe elephant safari, you will probably see both lonesome males and small herds of about 10 elephant cows with their offspring. Occasionally, bull elephants gather or even live in very small groups of about tree individuals. In such cases, there is usually only one older bull accompanied by younger adult males.
Be aware, though accustomed to large visitor numbers, the elephants in the park are wild beasts. Female elephants with offspring can get nervous or even aggressive when disturbed. For your own safety, you are not allowed to leave the jeep without permission of the ranger.
Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home
Near the national park, at the western side of the Udawalawe dam, an elephant orphanage called „Elephant Transit Home“ was established in 1995 by the Department of Wildlife Conservation with support from the Born Free Foundation. The term „transit“ refers to the purpose of the institution, not only looking after abandoned elephant calves but also returning them to the wild. In contrast to the famous Pinnawela Orphanage near Kegalle, the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home is not aimed at becoming a permanent home of domesticated elephants. Rather, it is a rehabilitation camp to prepare elephants to be released in the wilderness of the national park as soon as they are fit enough to survive in their natural habitat. Several dozens of elephants have yet been returned to the wild, usually at an age of five years. In the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, contacts between elephants and humans are minimized to prevent the elephants from becoming accustomed to human care. This is the reason why visitors at the Elephant Tranist Home are not allowed to touch or feed the elephants, they can only watch them being fed by the staff.
But the Department of Wildlife Conservation created a foster-parent program for those who intend to help by supplying food and medicine. Persons that foster an elephant are entitled to certain privileges such as naming the elephant or stay in a bungalow of Udawalawe National Park two days for free each year or being mentioned in piblications or to be invited to take part when the fostered elephant is finally released. The feeding takes place at 6:00 and 9.00 a.m. and 12.00 and 3.00 and 6.00 pm. The elephants are also able to roam in the immediate surroundings and to obtain food by grazing in a natural environment.
But the Department of Wildlife Conservation created a foster-parent program for those who intend to help by supplying food and medicine. Persons that foster an elephant are entitled to certain privileges such as naming the elephant or stay in a bungalow of Udawalawe National Park two days for free each year or being mentioned in piblications or to be invited to take part when the fostered elephant is finally released. The feeding takes place at 6:00 and 9.00 a.m. and 12.00 and 3.00 and 6.00 pm. The elephants are also able to roam in the immediate surroundings and to obtain food by grazing in a natural environment.
Accomodation in and around Udawalawe
Many visitors of Udawalawe National Park are day trippers from Hambantota or Tangalle. But because early morning and late afternoon hours are best for wildlife safaris, it's recommendable to choose an accommodation not as far away. Several guesthouses are located close to of Udawalawe National Park, most of them in the surroundings of the dam. Some are located directly at Thannamalvila road but close to the park's main gate. Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort and Hotel Onara are further west and very close to the Elephant Transit Home. Many visitors stay in the renowned Centauria Lake Resort in Embilipitiya. The Makulu Safari camp with tents including en-suite bathrooms is situated outside the national park boundaries, in 5 km distance from the main gate. Camping safaris within the national park can also be arranged.
