EPISODE 14 – Lunugamvehera National Park

The Narrow Escape

I joined the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1999. After working in Horton Plains for a short period I was transferred to Lunugamvehera National Park on duty in the year 2002. At that time, I did not have much experience in official duties.

Lunugamvehera is situated Adjacent to the Yala National Park and on the other side is the Udawalawe National Park. There are many elephants in both these parks. That is why elephants are often seen in the Lunugamvehera National Park.

As the Wildlife Officers our role is to help the animals meet their food, water and salt needs. We worked to meet the salt needs of these elephants. Pits were dug and salt was brought from the Hambantotasaltern and filled to make salt deposits. This one hole is usually 4 feet x 4 feet 4 x 4 feet. It should be monitored to see if Elephants can benefit from salt deposits. We always vigilant on that.

One day I was traveling with our group on a patrol in Bolhindagala area. Lunugamvehera National Park is accessed also from the site of the Thanamalwila Black Bridge. On my way back to the office after patrolling that day, I wanted to see some salt deposits nearby. I asked to stop the vehicle and went down to the salt deposits.

This salt deposit was located about 20 feet [20 m] from where I was staying. First there is an area like a lawn with occasional trees. Next is the salt deposit. And then the jungle starts.

I checked to see if the salt had eaten by the animals. There was elephant dung. It was obvious that the elephants had used salt deposits. I was closely observing the salt deposits.

Suddenly I heard a noise and I saw a big elephant behind me. I looked that way because of its sound. The distance between the two of us is about 5 feet. I couldn’t utter a word even due to fear of death. The next moment I turned around and ran as fast as a robot. My legs felt amazing strength; I ran fast towards the place where the vehicle was parked. I felt the elephant coming closer and closer behind me.

Our team opened the door of the vehicle and shouted at the elephant. At that sound the elephant’s harshness subsided. I was able to get in the car. At the same time we drove the vehicle fast.

That day I learned that when going to the forest, one should go with a good understanding of animals. That incident was the best experience in my life.

I still remember that fear of life.

Lunugamvehera Reservoir and thousands of other water bodies in the park are home to water birds. It has become a breeding ground for nearly 200 endemic and migratory species. Bird species found here include the Jungle fowl (Gallus lafayettii), Sri Lanka Woodshrike (Tephrodornis affinis), Blue faced malkoha (Phaenicophaeus viridirostis), Sri Lanka Brown capped Babbler (Pellorneum fuscocapillus), Spot-Billed Sri Lanka (Pelecanus philippensis) as well as the gray hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis). Lunugamvehera National Park is home to a wide variety of birds in Sri Lanka and is ideal for bird watching.

The two main access roads to the park headquarters are from Colombo to Ratnapura via Udawalawe, Thanamalwila to Lunugamvehera at approximately 231km and from Colombo to Hambantota via Tissamaharama, Thanamalwila to Lunugamvehera at approximately 265km. Lunugamvehera is located in the Moneragala District of the Uva Province, 261 km from Colombo and can be accessed via Tissamaharama in the Southern Province or via Kalawana in the Sabaragamuwa Province.

As a dry zone forest, the park has two entrances to visit throughout the year, as it records a temperature of close to 30 degrees Celsius with rainfall between November and January each year. Lunugamvehera is a National Park with less tourists so you can enter the park peacefully to enjoy the wildlife.One entrance is located near Thanamalwila on the Hambantota – Wellawaya road and the other entrance is on the SellaKataragama – Buttala road towards Galge. Many people prefer the nearby Yala National Park to the Lunugamvehera National Park, although there is very little traffic at the entrance. Although there is very little traffic at the entrance to Lunugamvehera National Park, this national park is also an area worth visiting and this national park is also an ideal place to visit wildlife.