National parks are a class of protected areas in Sri Lanka and are administered by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. National parks are governed by the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (No. 2) of 1937 and may be created, amended or abolished by ministerial order.[1] All of the land in national parks are state-owned and the entire habitat is protected.[1] Activities prohibited in national parks include hunting, killing or removing any wild animal; destroying eggs/nests of birds and reptiles; disturbing of wild animals; interfering in the breeding of any animal; felling/damaging of any plant; breaking up land for cultivation/mining/other purpose; kindling/carrying of fire; and possessing/using any trap/explosive/poison to damage animal or plant life.[1] Visitors are allowed to enter national parks but only for the purpose of observing flora and fauna and with a permit.[2] There are currently 26 national parks which together cover an area of 5,734 km2 (2,214 sq mi).[2]

National parks

National park Image Location Established
[2][3]		 Area[2][3][4]
km²mi²
Adam’s BridgeNorthern Province22 June 2015190 73
AngammedillaNorth Central Province6 June 200675 29
BundalaSouthern Province4 January 199362 24
ChundikkulamNorthern Province22 June 2015196 76
DelftNorthern Province22 June 201518 7
Flood PlainsNorth Central Province7 August 1984174 67
Gal OyaEastern Province
Uva Province		12 February 1954259 100
Galway's LandCentral Province18 May 20060 0
HikkaduwaSouthern Province8 October 20021 0
HoragollaWestern Province28 July 20040 0
HorowpathanaNorth Central Province6 December 201126 10
Horton PlainsCentral Province16 March 198832 12
KaudullaNorth Central Province1 April 200269 27
Kumana (Yala East)Eastern Province20 January 1970181 70
Lahugala KitulanaEastern Province31 October 198016 6
LunugamveheraSouthern Province
Uva Province		8 December 1995235 91
Madhu RoadNorthern Province22 June 2015164 63
Maduru OyaEastern Province
Uva Province		9 November 1983588 227
MinneriyaNorth Central Province12 August 199789 34
Pigeon IslandEastern Province24 June 20035 2
SomawathiyaEastern Province
North Central Province		2 September 1986376 145
UdawalaweSabaragamuwa Province
Uva Province		30 June 1972308 119
UssangodaSouthern Province6 May 20103 1
WasgamuwaCentral Province
North Central Province		7 August 1984371 143
WilpattuNorth Central Province
North Western Province		25 February 19381,317 508
Yala (Ruhuna)Southern Province
Uva Province		25 February 1938979 378
Total5,734 2,214

References

  1. 1 2 3 Green, Michael J. B. (1990). IUCN Directory of South Asian Protected Areas. International Union for Conservation of Nature. p. 184. ISBN 2-8317-0030-2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "National Parks". Department of Wildlife Conservation. Archived from the original on 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
  3. 1 2 The National Atlas of Sri Lanka (2nd ed.). Department of Survey. 2007. ISBN 955-9059-04-1.
  4. ↑ Senarathna, P.M. (2005). Sri Lankawe Wananththra (in Sinhala) (1st ed.). Sarasavi Publishers. ISBN 955-573-401-1.
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