Kumana National Park &amp; Birds Sanctuary

Kumana National Park covers an area of about 18, 149 hectare of land. It is located in the south-east part of Sri Lanka. This bird sanctuary is an attraction for bird watchers. Kumana is contiguous with Yala National Park. Kumana was formerly known as Yala East National Park, but changed to its present name in 5 September 2006. The park was reopened in March 2003 after it was closed since 1985 due to Civil War in Sri Lanka.
There is a swamp lake of about 200 hectare known as Kumana Villu in Kumana National Park. During the months of May and June numerous species of water birds nest around the swampy area.
At Kumana National Park, birds like herons, egrets, white ibis, spoonbills, painted storks and pelicans can be easily spotted in Kumana National Park. Very rare species of black necked storks, great thick knee, Eurasian spoonbill etc are also found in this national park of Sri Lanka. The fauna of Kumana National Park is mainly of mangrove variety. Kumbuk trees and karan fern trees also grow in this region.
In Kumana National Park different varieties of animals like wild boar, elephant, European otter, golden jackal and fishing cat are found. Indian black turtle, flap shelled turtle, mugger crocodile can be also seen here.

Physical features

Kumbukkan Oya forms the southern boundary of the national park. Some 20 lagoons and tanks support the extensive birdlife of the national park. The lagoons are shallow with depths less than 2 metres (6.6 ft). Kumana villu is subject to occasional inundation with seawater. The elevation of the area ranges from sea level to 90 metres (300 ft). The mean annual temperature is 27.30 °C (81.14 °F) and the area receives 1,300 millimetres (51.18 in) of annual rainfall.

Flora

The park's wetland areas are surrounded by dry zone tropical thorn forest. The inland forest's flora is dominated by Manilkara hexandra (Sinhalese "Palu"), Hemicyclea sepieria, Bauhinia racemosa, Cassia fistula ("Ehela"), Chloroxylon swietenia ("Burutha"), and Salvadora persica species. The dominant tree of the Kumana villu is Sonneratia caseolaris, while Typha angustifolia is the dominant reed. Terminalia arjuna trees dominate the riverine forests along the Kumbukkan Oya. The common aquatic plants of the swamp are colourful Ludwigia spp., Nelumbo nucifera, Nymphaea pubescens, Aponogeton spp. and Neptunia oleracea.