Wilpattu National Park, National park in North Western Province, Sri Lanka
Wilpattu is a national park in the North Western and North Central provinces of Sri Lanka, covering wetlands and dry forests with numerous natural lakes. The vegetation shifts between open grassland and dense scrub, while sandy paths wind through areas where large mammals and water birds live.
The park became a protected area in 1938, making it the first reserve of this kind in the country. Before that, the area served as hunting grounds during colonial times, until the decision was made to preserve the wildlife.
The word Wilpattu comes from Sinhala and means natural lake, a name that describes the landscape exactly and has been used by people in the area for generations. Visitors today often see birds and mammals coming to the shallow lakes to drink or cool off, experiencing the connection between water and life in the dry forest.
Safaris run mainly in the early morning or late afternoon, when animals are more active and the heat eases. Four-wheel-drive vehicles follow fixed routes, and guides help read tracks and spot animals in the dense vegetation.
Leopards live here in higher numbers than in many other reserves in the region, increasing the chance of seeing one of these shy animals during a drive through the park. The sandy edges of the villus often show fresh paw prints, revealing which animals came to the water at night or early morning.
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