Sri Lanka’s heritage of wildlife protection runs as far back as 2200 years. The first (fauna & flora) wildlife sanctuary in world at Mihintale, 12 km east of UNESCO World heritage Site of Anuradhapura was created by the King Devanampiya Tissa (307-266 BC), following the arrival of Buddhism to the island from northern India. With the establishment of Buddhism in ancient Sri Lanka in 250 BC, it became a Royal prerogative to carry out everything humanly possible to spread the doctrine throughout the island. Thereafter, throughout the history of the nation, all animals & plants in the wildlife sanctuaries of the island were left undisturbed in line with the basic right to life of all beings & conservation ethics of Buddhism, the taking of life being anathema to Buddhist beliefs. Renewal of laws giving protection to animals had been renewed and reinforced time and again by the kings of ancient Sri Lanka. Records of the wildlife protection are found in the great Sinhalese chronicle of Mahawamsa. A fine example is a twelfth century edict of King Nissanka Malla “ordering by beat of drum that no animal should be killed within a radius of 7 leagues of the city of Anuardhapura, he gave security to animals; he gave security to the fish in the 12 great tanks… and he also gave security to birds.” Those were the wild life sanctuaries of the old.

Protected areas of Sri Lanka are administrated by Department of Forest Conservation and Department of Wildlife Conservation of Sri Lanka. There are 501 protected areas in Sri Lanka. The protected areas falls under supervision Department of Forest Conservation include forests defined in National Heritage Wilderness Area Act in 1988, forest reservations and forests manage for sustainability. World heritage site, Sinharaja Forest Reserve is an example for a National Heritage forest. There are 32 forests categorized as conservation forests including Knuckles Mountain Range. Strict nature reserves, national parks, nature reserves, forest corridors and sanctuaries recognized under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance are managed by Department of Wildlife Conservation. Total of all categories of areas protected is 1,767,000 ha. Protected areas in Sri Lanka accounts for 26.5 percent of total area. This is a higher percentage of protected areas than in all of Asia and much of the World.

Depending on their objectives National protected areas are classified into mainly six types. The first four categories of protected areas cover all the ecological and regions of Sri Lanka. The 5, 6, 7 categories were introduced in 1993 by amending the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance. However there are no regions declared under these categories so far.

1. Strict nature reserves
2. National parks
3. Nature reserves
4. Jungle corridors
5. Refuge
6. Marine reserves
7. Buffer zones
8. Sanctuaries

Strict Nature Reserves

Human activities are restricted in SNRs and they are protected as a pure natural system. Researches are allowed under the supervision of the Department of Wildlife Conservation staff and with the prior approval of the director.

Protected area	Area in ha	Date of declaration
Hakgala	1,141.60	February 5, 1938
Ritigala	1,528.10	November 7, 1941
Yala	28,904.70	March 10, 1939

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National parks

National parks are areas allowed for the public to see and study wildlife. However necessary rules and regulations are introduced to protect wildlife and their habitats. The following are national parks in Sri Lanka administered by the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Name	Location	Area	Date of established
Yala	Southern Province and Uva	978.807 km2	February 25, 1938
Wilpattu	North Central Province and North Western Province	1,316.671 km2	February 25, 1938
Gal Oya	Uva and Eastern Province	259 km2	December 2, 1954
Kumana	Eastern Province	181.482 km2	January 20, 1970
Udawalawe	Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces	308.21 km2	June 30, 1972
Lahugala Kitulana	Eastern Province	15.54 km2	October 31, 1980
Maduru Oya	Eastern Province and Uva Province	588.496 km2	September 11, 1983
Wasgamuwa	Central Province and North Central Province	370.629 km2	July 8, 1984
Flood Plains	North Central Province	173.50 km2	July 8, 1984
Somawathiya	North Central Province and Eastern Province	396.455 km2	February 9, 1986
Horton Plains	Central Province	31.598 km2	March 16, 1988
Bundala	Southern Province	62.16 km2	April 1, 1993
Lunugamvehera	Uva and Southern Province	234.988 km2	August 12, 1995
Minneriya	North Central Province	88.894 km2	December 8, 1997
Kaudulla	North Central Province	69 km2	January 4, 2002
Hikkaduwa	Southern Province	1.016 km2	August 10, 2002
Pigeon Island	Eastern Province	4.714 km2	June 24, 2003
Horagolla	Western Province	0.133 km2	June 24, 2004
Galway's Land	Central Province	0.267 km2	May 18, 2006
Angammedilla	North Central Province	75.289 km2	June 6, 2006
Ussangoda	Southern Province	3.49 km2	June 1, 2010
Mullaitivu National Park	Northern Province		December 1, 2010

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Nature reserves

Wildlife viewing and studying is restricted in these areas. Similar to Strict nature reserves scientific research is encouraged under the supervision of Department of Wildlife Conservation staff. These areas differ from strict nature reserves by allowing traditional human activities to continue.

Protected area	Area in ha	Date of declaration
Triconamadu	25,019.30	October 24, 1986
Riverine	824.1	July 31, 1991
Minneriya-Girithale
Block II	1,923.60	June 25, 1993
Block III	4,745.30	July 7, 1995
Block IV	8,335.50	September 1, 1997
Wetahirakanda	3,229	June 7, 2002

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Jungle corridors

A habitat corridor, wildlife corridor or green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures (such as roads, development, or logging). This allows an exchange of individuals between populations, which may help prevent the negative effects of inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity (via genetic drift) that often occur within isolated populations. Corridors may also help facilitate the re-establishment of populations that have been reduced or eliminated due to random events (such as fires or disease).

This may potentially moderate some of the worst effects of habitat fragmentation, wherein urbanization can split up habitat areas, causing animals to lose both their natural habitat and the ability to move between regions to use all of the resources they need to survive. Habitat fragmentation due to human development is an ever-increasing threat to biodiversity, and habitat corridors are a possible mitigation.

The only jungle corridor declared under the accelerated Mahaweli Programme.

 

Sanctuaries

Sanctuaries ensure the protection of wildlife of private lands which outside the state claim. In the sanctuaries protection of habitat and allowing of human activities occur simultaneously. Permission is not required for entry to these lands.

Protected area	Area in ha	Date of declaration
Chundikulam	11,149.10	February 25, 1938
Wilpattu North	632	February 25, 1938
Telwatta	1,424.50	February 25, 1938
Weerawila-Tissa	4,164.20	May 27, 1938
Katagamuwa	1,003.60	May 27, 1938
Polonnaruwa	1,521.60	May 27, 1938
Tangamale	131.5	May 27, 1938
Mihintale	999.6	May 27, 1938
Kataragama	837.7	May 27, 1938
Anuradhapura	3,500.50	May 27, 1938
Udawatta Kele Sanctuary	104	July 29, 1938
Rocky Islets	1.2	October 25, 1940
Peak Wilderness Sanctuary	22,379.10	October 25, 1940
Kurulu Kele (Kegalle)	113.3	March 14, 1941
Pallemalala	13.7	October 23, 1942
Welhilla Kategilla	134.3	February 18, 1949
Kokkilai	1,995	May 18, 1951
Senanayake Samudra	9,324	February 12, 1954
Gal Oya North-East	12,432	February 12, 1954
Gal Oya South-East	15,281	February 12, 1954
Giant's Tank	4,330.10	September 24, 1954
Vavunikulam	4,856.20	June 21, 1963
Sakamam	616.4	June 21, 1963
Padawiya Tank	6,475	June 21, 1963
Naval Headworks Sanctuary	18,130	June 21, 1963
Great Sober Island	64.7	June 21, 1963
Little Sober Island	6.5	June 21, 1963
Kimbulwana Oya	492.1	June 21, 1963
Mahakanadarawa Wewa	519.3	December 9, 1966
Madhu Road	26,677	June 28, 1968
Seruwila-Allai	15,540	October 9, 1970
Paretitivu Island	97.1	May 18, 1973
Honduwa Island	8.5	November 19, 1973
Buddhangala	1,841.30	November 1, 1974
Ravana Falls	1,932	May 18, 1979
Medinduwa	0.8	June 6, 1980
Kalametiya lagoon	2,525.20	November 1, 1984
Sri Jayawardenapura birds sanctuary	449.2	January 9, 1985
Victoria-Randenigala-Rantembe	42,087.30	January 30, 1987
Maimbulkanda - Nittambuwa	25.1	June 8, 1988
Parapuduwa Nuns' Island	189.6	August 17, 1988
Kahalla-Pallekele	21,690	July 1, 1989
Sigiriya	5,099	January 26, 1990
Bellanwila-Attidiya	372	July 25, 1990
Bar Reef	30,669.90	April 3, 1992
Nimalawa	1,065.80	February 18, 1993
Madunagala	995.2	June 30, 1993
Muthurajawela block I	1,028.60	October 31, 1996
Muthurajawela block II	256.8	October 31, 1996
Anawilundawa	1,397	June 11, 1997
Elahera-Girithale	14,035.20	January 13, 2000
Dahaiyagala	2,685.10	June 7, 2002
Tabbowa	2,193.30	July 19, 2002
Rumassala	170.7	January 3, 2003
Kiralakele	310	September 8, 2003
Eluwiliyaya	186	September 11, 2009
Kaudulla-Minneriya	8,777.30	June 1, 2004
Kirama	45.7	October 6, 2004
Kudumbigala	6,533.90	February 20, 2006
Rekawa	-	May 25, 2006
Godawaya	-	May 25, 2006
Bundala - Wilmanna	3,339.40	June 30, 2006
Maduganga	2,300	July 17, 2006
Bogahapitiya (proposed)

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