Maduru Oya National Park
Just beyond the Wasgamuwa National Park, lies a jewel not quite caught in the limelight; the Maduru Oya National Park. Situated in the eastern province of Sri Lanka, it is a formidable expanse of over 58,800 hectares and home to wildlife, ruins and engineering feats.While the Park finds itself in the dry zone, water systems here make up about 15% of the land area, including the five reservoirs of Maduru Oya, Ulhitiya, Rathkinda, NDK, and Henanigala reservoirs, in addition to tributaries of the Mahaweli and Maduru Oya rivers.
What is significant about this Park is not just its biodiversity, but its richness in being home to numerous endemic and endangered species in particular – and wildlife tours lets you get closer.
Elephants are a visible feature in the Park, and herds can be sighted quite frequently. Among the other residents are the sloth bear, leopard, water buffalo, toque monkey, spotted deer, sambar, porcupine, Indian muntjac, jackal, fishing cat, wild boar, and several other smaller animals.
This Park is one of the recorded habitats of the grey slender loris while the European otter has also been reported here.
Not to be outshone, the avifauna is also very varied and stunning to behold.
The white-bellied sea eagle, great cormorant, the painted stork, the black-hooded oriole, woodpecker, Sri Lanka’s national bird - the jungle fowl, and the malkoha, amongst others, make their presence evident - if not very audible.
Interestingly, around the reservoirs, the Asian openbill, spot-billed pelican and the Oriental darter take centre stage, along with the black-headed ibis and the Eurasian spoonbill.
Moving around in an inconspicuous manner, are the water and common monitor, estuarine and mugger crocodile, the introverted Indian star turtle, and snakes such as the common cobra and black-tailed python. Giant gourami, catfish and snakeheads are just some of the fish found in the reservoirs.
The Park boasts of abundant dry zone vegetation. Weera, palu, buruta, kaluwara welang, ehela, kumbuk, milla, kone and fruits like beli and woodapple are all found here.Amidst the sweeping landscape of Maduru Oya, you will suddenly encounter ruins, in places such as Henanigala, Werapokuna, Gurukumbura and Uluketangoda - just to name a few. As in some of Sri Lanka’s other National Parks, constructs built in different eras of the island’s ancient past still stand and evoke a majestic and imperial past. Foregone temples, statues, dagobas and hermitages will have you in wonderment. Dating from the 3rd century AD Brahmi inscriptions can also be seen at Kandegamakanda.
The Maduru Oya National Park is a drive of about 300 kilometres from Colombo, but it is a ride that will take you to an enduring wildlife experience and ultimate safari vacation.
