Kumana National Park
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Where it is
Coordinates: 6°30′47″N 81°41′17″E (6.5130, 81.6880) · Open in OpenStreetMap
Coordinates and connected clubs: the infobox of Wikipedia: Kumana National Park (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map: drawn by Codexery from OpenStreetMap tiles.
Kumana National Park is a protected area in southeastern Sri Lanka, renowned for its avifauna, particularly large flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds. Located 391 kilometers southeast of Colombo on the southeastern coast, it is contiguous with Yala National Park and was formerly known as Yala East National Park before being renamed in 2006. The park was closed from 1985 to March 2003 due to LTTE attacks and was also affected by the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.
Background
Kumana National Park lies on Sri Lanka's southeastern coast, with the Kumbukkan Oya forming its southern boundary. Its landscape includes some 20 lagoons and tanks, shallow lagoons less than 2 meters deep, and the Kumana villu, which is subject to occasional seawater inundation. The park's wetland areas are surrounded by dry zone tropical thorn forest, with dominant trees such as Manilkara hexandra, Hemicyclea sepieria, and Sonneratia caseolaris in the villu. The riverine forests along the Kumbukkan Oya are dominated by Terminalia arjuna.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Kumana National Park called before 2006?
It operated under the name Yala East National Park until it received its current designation in 2006. The site had actually been protected as a bird sanctuary as far back as 1938.
What are the climate and elevation conditions at Kumana National Park?
Elevation ranges from sea level up to about 90 meters, and the mean annual temperature hovers around 27.3 °C. The park receives roughly 1,300 millimeters of rainfall each year.
More in National parks of Sri Lanka
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Kumana National Park (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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