Wilpattu National Park

Phone:
+94 112 199 323

Hours:

Sunday	6am - 6pm
Monday	6am - 6pm
Tuesday	6am - 6pm
Wednesday	6am - 6pm
Thursday	6am - 6pm
Friday	6am - 6pm
Saturday	6am - 6pm

Attraction Location

Wilpattu National Park Videos

Jeep Safari in Wilpattu National Park ( විල්පත්තු ජාතික වනෝද්‍යානයේ ජීප් සවාරියක් )

Wilpattu National Park

Wilpattu National Park (Willu-pattu; Land of Lakes) is a park located on the island of Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of Willus (Natural lakes) - Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. Located in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka. The park is located 30 km west Anuradhapura and located 26 km north of Puttalam (approximately 180 km north of Colombo). The park is 1,317 square kilometers (131, 693 hectares) and ranges from 0 to 152 meters above sea level. Nearly sixty lakes (Willu) and tanks are found spread throughout Wilpattu. Wilpattu is the largest and one of the oldest National Parks in Sri Lanka. Wilpattu is among the top national parks world-renowned for its leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) population. A remote camera survey was conducted in Wilpattu from July to October 2015 by the Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust. A sample of forty nine individual leopards were photo-captured in the surveyed area and the core area density was between that of Yala National Park's Block I and Horton Plains National Park.[2]

From December 1988 to March 16, 2003, the park was closed due to security concerns surrounding the Sri Lankan Civil War, before being reopened to visitors 16 years later. Visitor access is currently limited to approximately 25% of the park, the remainder of which is dense forest or scrub. Popular visiting periods spans between the months of February and October, although there are a number of private eco-tourism groups that conducts safaris year round.

Some Local Men Singing and Drinking at Malwathu Oya River Bank

Some local men singing and drinking at Malwathu Oya river bank

2018/03/10 14:39:11

Navy renders assistance to reduce floodrisk caused by overflowing of Malwathu Oya

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen's speech at inauguration ceremony of Malwathu Oya Project

The construction of the lower Malwathu Oya Thanthirimale reservoir – the third largest reservoir in Sri Lanka – commenced yesterday under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The construction of the reservoir would be implemented as a completely eco-friendly project and in a manner not to cause any harm in the Wilpattu Wildlife Zone.

The villages that would be submerged during the construction of the lower Malwathu Oya reservoir would be rebuilt in Thanthirimale. The Government has decided to expedite the program implemented to pay compensation for the lands and properties that would submerge under the reservoir. Allocation of alternate land to the owners and construction of houses are set to commence this year.

Along with the Malwathu Oya project, Thanthirimale town would also be developed as a tourist zone. In addition, a fresh water fishing village, and several factories to provide employment would be established in Thanthirimale.

The construction of the lower Malwathu Oya reservoir would provide many benefits to the farmers in the Anuradhapura and Mannar Districts.

Once the proposed lower Malwathu Oya reservoir project is completed by 2022, paddy cultivation in the Mannar district – which is limited to only one cultivation season at present – is expected to be extended to both Yala and Maha seasons. It is also expected to create 2,000 acres of new irrigable lands for paddy cultivation.

Apart from that, water for irrigation would be provided to nearly 20 small tanks in Thanthirimale and neighbouring villages to cultivate around 3,000-4,000 acres in the two harvest seasons.

In addition, the project would provide 5 million cubic meters of drinking water for the people of Anuradhapura and Mannar districts and produce 4.28 GWH Hydro power energy annually.

The Reservoir would hold 170,000 acre-feet of water. The estimated cost for the project is Rs. 12 billion.