How does Udawalawe support biodiversity?

Udawalawe truly supports immense biodiversity because it provides a protected habitat with open grasslands, scrub jungles, and key riverine forests around the Udawalawe Reservoir. This mix of environments sustains hundreds of species, including endemic birds, reptiles, and a strong population of Asian elephants.

It was first established as a sanctuary for wild animals displaced when the Udawalawe Reservoir was built, and since then, the park has kept working as an important catchment area. The Department of Wildlife Conservation preserves a vital ecological corridor in Sri Lanka’s dry zone by protecting the land from farming intrusion and deforestation.