Bundala National Park

Lore & Background

Bundala National Park lies 245 kilometers southeast of Colombo, underlain mainly by hornblende-biotite gneiss of the eastern Vijayan series. The park features five shallow, brackish lagoons—Bundala, Embilikala, Malala, Koholankala, and Mahalewaya—with salt pans in three. The climate is tropical monsoonal, with a mean annual temperature of 27°C and annual rainfall between 900 and 1,300 millimeters. The park's elevation ranges from sea level to 10 meters, and it was affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, though sand dunes limited damage.

The park hosts 383 plant species from 90 families, including dry thorny shrubs, herbs, and halophytes. The lagoons are dominated by blue-green algae, and a unique strip of Manilkara hexandra forest grows on sand dunes east of Bundala village. Fauna includes 197 bird species, with the greater flamingo visiting in flocks of over 1,000 from the Rann of Kutch, India. Other vertebrates include 32 mammal species, such as Asian elephants, leopards, and fishing cats, as well as 48 reptile species, including mugger and saltwater crocodiles. The adjacent seashore is a breeding ground for five species of globally endangered sea turtles.

Threats to the park include water quality changes from irrigation drainage and saltern sludge, and the spread of invasive alien plants Prosopis juliflora and Opuntia dillenii. Conservation projects include a turtle conservation program and an invasive plant eradication effort. Proposed measures include re-demarcating the park boundary, resettling families, and managing livestock grazing.

Reader's Guide

Bundala National Park holds significance as a critical habitat for migratory water birds, particularly the greater flamingo, and as the first Ramsar wetland site in Sri Lanka. Its designation as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2005 underscores its ecological importance. The park's five lagoons support diverse birdlife, with 197 species recorded, 58 of which are migratory. It also harbors 324 vertebrate species, including rare birds like the black-necked stork and lesser adjutant, and mammals such as the Asian elephant and leopard. The park's unique flora includes a Manilkara hexandra forest and salt-tolerant plants. However, invasive species and water quality issues pose ongoing conservation challenges. The park's legacy lies in its role as a model for wetland conservation in Sri Lanka, balancing ecological protection with the pressures of irrigation and salt production. Its recognition as a biosphere reserve highlights its value for both biodiversity and sustainable human interaction.

Did You Know?

• Bundala was the first wetland in Sri Lanka to be declared a Ramsar site, in 1991.
• The park was upgraded to a national park on 4 January 1993, after being a wildlife sanctuary since 1969.
• The greater flamingo visits Bundala in flocks of over 1,000 individuals from the Rann of Kutch, India.
• The park's adjacent seashore is a breeding ground for all five species of globally endangered sea turtles that migrate to Sri Lanka.

A Layered Legacy of Protection

Bundala's journey toward full protection unfolded across more than two decades. The area first received formal status as a wildlife sanctuary on 5 December 1969, marking the beginning of government stewardship over its wetlands and coastal habitats. Nearly a quarter-century later, on 4 January 1993, it was elevated to national park status, encompassing 6,216 hectares of land. Two years before that upgrade, in 1991, Bundala achieved a landmark distinction by becoming the first wetland in Sri Lanka to receive Ramsar designation, signaling international recognition of its ecological value. In 2005, UNESCO further honored the site by declaring it a Man and Biosphere Reserve, making it the fourth such reserve in the country. The park's boundaries were not static: a 2004 regazetting reduced the original park to 3,698 hectares, and the following year, in January 2006, an adjacent stretch of 3,339.38 hectares was carved out as the Wilmanna Sanctuary. Situated 245 kilometres southeast of Colombo, Bundala now anchors a broader network of protected wetlands on Sri Lanka's southeastern coast.

A Wintering Ground for the World's Water Birds

Bundala has been formally recognized as an outstanding Important Bird Area within the South Indian and Sri Lankan wetlands, a designation that underscores its global significance. The park supports 197 recorded bird species, of which 58 are migratory, and its wetland habitats shelter roughly 100 water bird species—half of them arriving from elsewhere each season. The undisputed star is the greater flamingo, which streams in from the Rann of Kutch in India in flocks numbering over 1,000 individuals, painting the lagoons in shades of pink. Alongside them, large congregations of lesser whistling ducks, garganeys, little and Indian cormorants, grey herons, black-headed ibises, Eurasian spoonbills, Asian openbills, and painted storks create a spectacular mosaic of waders and waterfowl. Rarer residents such as the black-necked stork, lesser adjutant, and Eurasian coot add depth to the avian community. In 2005, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka jointly launched the National Bird Ringing Programme at Bundala, embedding the park into a wider scientific monitoring effort.

Lagoons, Salt Pans & a Resilient Coastline

The physical character of Bundala is shaped by its geology and climate. The underlying bedrock consists of hornblende-biotite gneiss belonging to the eastern Vijayan series, and the terrain sits at elevations between sea level and just 10 metres. A tropical monsoonal climate governs the area, with a mean annual temperature of 27 degrees Celsius, average relative humidity around 80 percent, and annual rainfall between 900 and 1,300 millimetres. The dry season stretches from May through September. Five shallow, brackish lagoons form the ecological heart of the park: Bundala (520 hectares), Embilikala (430), Malala (650), Koholankala (390), and Mahalewaya (260). Three of these carry salt pans, and the Koholankala and Mahalewaya lagoons are almost entirely devoted to salt production. When the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami struck, the park's sand-dune barrier absorbed much of the force, leaving the interior with remarkably little damage. East of Bundala village, a narrow strip of Palu forest—dominated by Manilkara hexandra on the dunes—represents a vegetation type unique to Sri Lanka.

Elephants, Crocodiles & the Turtles' Shore

The vertebrate roster at Bundala extends well beyond its famous birds. In all, 324 vertebrate species have been documented, spanning 32 fish, 15 amphibians, 48 reptiles, and 32 mammals. Small herds of Asian elephants still move through the park's forested patches, sharing the landscape with toque macaques, common langurs, jackals, leopards, fishing cats, rusty-spotted cats, wild boar, mouse deer, Indian muntjacs, spotted deer, sambar, Indian pangolins, and porcupines. The reptile assemblage is equally notable: both mugger and saltwater crocodiles patrol the lagoons, alongside Bengal monitors, star tortoises, Indian pythons, and the endemic flying snake Chrysopelea taprobana. Two species are found nowhere else on Earth—a toad (Bufo atukoralei) and a snake (Xenochrophis asperrimus). Fish communities range from saltwater dispersants like Anguilla bicolor to freshwater forms such as Channa striata. Perhaps most remarkably, the seashore adjacent to the park serves as a nesting ground for all five globally endangered sea turtle species that make their way to Sri Lankan shores.