Udawattakele Forest Reserve
Facts and practical information
Udawattakele Forest Reserve often spelled as Udawatta Kele, is a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy. It is 104 hectares large. During the days of the Kandyan kingdom, Udawattakele was known as "Uda Wasala Watta" in Sinhalese meaning "the garden above the royal palace". The sanctuary is famous for its extensive avifauna. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many of small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might be seen. Udawattakele was designated as a forest reserve in 1856, and it became a sanctuary in 1938. ()
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Best Ways to Experience the Park
Wildlife
AnimalsSee what popular animal species you can meet in this location.
Indian pangolin
The Indian pangolin, also known as the thick-tailed pangolin or scaly anteater, is a captivating mammal native to the Indian subcontinent. This distinctive creature is easily identified by its large, overlapping scales that act as armor and its extraordinary ability...
Mammals
Toque Monkey
The toque macaque, an Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka, is locally referred to as the rilewa or rilawa. This species is classified into three subspecies: *Macaca sinica sinica*, *Macaca sinica aurifrons*, and *Macaca sinica opisthomelas*, each indigenous...
Mammals
Golden Palm Civit (Musang)
The golden palm civet, an endemic species found exclusively in Sri Lanka, is currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This status is primarily due to its fragmented distribution and the declining quality of its habitat in Sri Lanka's hill regions.
Mammals
Indian cobra
The Indian cobra, also known as the spectacled cobra, Asian cobra, or binocellate cobra, is a renowned snake species prevalent throughout India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is one of the "big four" snakes responsible for the majority of...
Reptiles
Dusky palm squirrel
The term "Dusky Palm Squirrel" actually pertains to two distinct rodent species that were once mistakenly considered identical. The first species, Funambulus obscurus, is native to Sri Lanka. The second, known either as Funambulus sublineatus or the Nilgiri striped...
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