The park include the coastal stretch to the east of the town famous for migratory birds hence a popular bird watching destination. The salterns, lagoons and marshes accommodate more than 20000 birds at a time. Bundala is also home to resident elephants and some migrants from the near by Yala National Park.
Haven for migrant and resident birds and for it’s wetland habitat Bundala is most famous for its migratory and resident birds and the only one Ramsar site in Sri Lanka.
The migration period from August with the commencement of the harsh winter and continues up to mid – April, when the Southern Hemisphere ” attracts ” them with plenty of food and sunshine. Situated around 250KM south east of Colombo, The 6200ha park Bundala was first declared as a Sanctuary in 1969 and now a national park. The most significant aspect is its 20000 or more shorebirds residing at Bundala from August to April each year.
This unique are of picturesque lagoons and intertidal mudflats where the wintering birds rest and feed, golden beaches and sand dunes frequented by nesting sea turtles and throny scrub jungle where elephant. Deer and wild buffalo roam is also a paradise 149 species of resident and migratory birds.
There are birds of Eastern Europe inhabitants of the tundra of the Siberian region. The Flamingo comes from neighbouring India.
Source: Department of Wildlife Conservation
