Kaudulla National Park

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Kaudulla National Park is in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, about 197 km from Colombo. It covers 6,900 hectares and became a national park on April 1, 2002, the 15th park in the country. The Department of Wildlife Conservation manages it.

The park includes the Kaudulla tank (lake) and surrounding dry evergreen forests. It gets about 1,500–2,000 mm of rain each year, with a dry season from April to October, and temperatures from 20.6°C to 34.5°C. The landscape features chena farming and grasslands around the lake.

Flora includes trees such as Manilkara hexandra, Chloroxylon swietenia, and Vitex altissima; bushes like Randia dumetorum and Calotropis gigantea; and grasses Imperata cylindrica and Panicum maximum. The lake’s phytoplankton includes blue-green algae and diatoms.

Wildlife: 24 mammals, 25 reptiles, 26 fish, and 160 bird species have been recorded. Elephants move between Kaudulla and the nearby Minneriya tank, especially in the dry season. In 2008, 211 elephants were counted here. Other mammals include sambar deer, axis deer, chevrotain, wild boar, Sri Lankan leopard, and sloth bear. The gray slender loris is reportedly present. An albino axis deer calf was found here, suggesting Kaudulla may be the only park with this animal.

Birds and aquatic life: large water birds like spot-billed pelican and lesser adjutant visit the lake. Fish include Oreochromis mossambicus. The endemic frog Fejervarya pulla lives here. Reptiles include freshwater turtles, Indian flap-shelled turtle, and Indian black turtle. Invasive Lantana camara threatens wildlife.

Conservation: The Kaudulla–Minneriya jungle corridor was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 2004.

Visitors: In 2004–2005, more than 10,000 visitors came, earning about Rs. 100,000 in entrance fees.