The Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a s national park located in south-west Sri Lanka. This forest reserve has been identified as important biodiversity hotspot. This rainforest covers an area of 6,092 hectares. Originally, it was declared a royal reserve and in 1978, it was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
In 1998, it was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is one of Sri Lanka’s last remaining undisturbed rainforests.
Quick Facts: –
- The Sinharaja Forest Reserve has canopy trees that can reach heights of more than 45 meters.
- This forest reserve is recognized as a living heritage, though relatively smaller than other National Parks.
- There are more than 154 bird species that have been recorded to be found in this park.
- There are total 830 endemic species in Sri Lanka and Most of them can be found in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
- The highest peak in this rainforest is Hinipitigala which is measured 1,171 meters in height.
- The largest carnivore of this national forest is the leopard which is rarely spotted.
- There are a total of 45 reptile species in this region and 21 of them are endemic.
- This region gets about ten months of rain per year with average temperatures around the 20 to 25°C.
- This rainforest is a narrow strip of undulating terrain and consists of a series of ridges and valleys drained by an intricate network of streams.
