Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Udawalawa Reservoir in Udawalawe National Park
Udawalawe National Park
Location	Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, Sri Lanka
Nearest city	Embilipitiya
Coordinates	6°26′18″N 80°53′18″E / 6.43833°N 80.88833°E / 6.43833; 80.88833
Area	308.21 km2 (119.00 sq mi)
Established	June 30, 1972
Visitors	452,000 (in 1994–2001)
Governing body	Department of Wildlife Conservation

Udawalawe National Park is a national park on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces in Sri Lanka. The park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir. The reserve covers 30,821 hectares (119.00 sq mi) of land area and was established on 30 June 1972.^[1]

Before the designation of the national park, the area was used for shifting cultivation (chena farming). The farmers were gradually removed once the national park was declared. The park is 165 kilometres (103 mi) from Colombo. Udawalawe is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan elephants. It is a popular tourist destination and the third-most visited park in the country.^[2]