Maduru Oya National Park

One of Sri Lanka’s national parks is the Maduru Oya National Park. On November 9th, 1983, a national park designation was made for it. It was built as part of the Mahaweli development project and serves as the reservoir’s catchment area. It is 58,849 hectares in size, situated 314 kilometers from Colombo in the dry zone, and serves as a refuge for wildlife.

The habitat for elephants in the Maduru Oya National Park is well-known. Wild animals such as leopards, sloth bears, sambhur, spotted and barking deer, wild boar, and wild buffalo are among the non-elephant wildlife. The park is also home to the Toque Macaque, Purple-faced Langur, Slender Loris, Black-Naped Hare, Indian Pangolin, and a variety of squirrel species. Over 100 species of birds, including the Lesser Adjutant, Woolly Necked Stork, Openbill, Painted Stork, Racket Tailed Drongo, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, and Spur Fowl, are also found there in addition to wild animals. However, within the boundaries of Maduru Oya National Park, there is a group of Veddas who are native to Sri Lanka.