One of Sri Lanka's smallest national parks, whose reservoirs draw elephants and water birds within easy reach of Arugam Bay.

Overview

Lahugala Kitulana is one of the tiniest national parks in Sri Lanka, but its three reservoirs make it a vital dry-season habitat, especially for elephants that gather to feed on the beru grass fringing the tanks. The Lahugala Tank in particular is a good place to watch elephants, along with storks, pelicans, painted storks and other water birds. Its small size and roadside location on the way inland from Arugam Bay make it an easy wildlife stop, best in the late afternoon when animals come to the water.

History

The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1966 and upgraded to a national park in 1980 to protect its reservoirs and the elephant populations that depend on them. Its tanks, part of the ancient irrigation landscape, drain into the Heda Oya river.