Gal Oya National Park is located 300 kilometers from Colombo in the Ampara and Badulla regions. Gal Oya National Park derives its name from the Gal Oya, the river that flows all the way through it.
Gal Oya National Park was established in 1954 by the Gal Oya Development Board chiefly to look after the catchments areas of the Senanayake Samudra Reservoir, and then it was handed over to the department of Wildlife Conservation in 1965.
The national park is rich in flora and fauna. Gal Oya National Park is a major eco tourism place. Approximately 45% of the park is covered by evergreen forest and an additional 33% is taken up by savanna areas. The 25,900 hectare park has about 32 species of mammals including common langur, endemic toque macaque, leopard, sloth bear, elephant, wild boar, water buffalo and 3 species of deer. The bird lovers will be happy to know that there are approximately 150 of Sri Lanka 's 430 species of birds have been observed in this area.
There are large numbers of fish eating birds, such as the little cormorant, great cormorant, Indian cormorant, spot-billed pelican, grey-headed fishing eagle, and white-bellied sea eagle in Gal Oya National Park. Reptiles include the Sri Lanka swamp crocodile that is found in the water bodies and irrigation canals. The water monitor that is also found in the drier areas. There are many snakes, such as the rat snake, python or pimbura that is Python molurus, as well as the venomous cobra and Russell’s viper.
Gal Oya is in spirit a valley that is redolent of history. It has given safe haven to several kings in the distant past. In the 2nd century BC, King Tissa required shelter in Digavapi. It is the place where Buddha is said to have visited on his third and last visit to Sri Lanka. The dagoba built to honor this event attracts thousands of pilgrims yearly. Then in the 13th century, King Buvenekabahu sought refuge at the summit of Govindahela. It is a peak within the park. Henebedde cave near the mountain of Vadinagala has a drop outcrop with Brahmi writings and nearby are a moonstone and guard stone.
travel.mapsofworld.com offers detailed information about Gal Oya National Park.
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