LAHUGALA KITULANA NATIONAL PARK

This park is one of Sri Lanka's smallest but most valuable con-servation areas for elephants and endemic birds.
Location :
Park lies in the basin of the Heda Oya, 16km inland from the coastal town of Pottuvil in Eastern Province. The Pottuvil Moneragala trunk road runs through the south eastern sector of the park.
Access :
The route would be the same as the approach to Yala East Na-tional Park from Colombo. The routes fork off at Pelmadulla and meet again at Wellawaya, one going via Beragala, Koslanda and the other via Thimbolketiya, Udawalawe and Thanamalwila. From Wellawaya the route would be via Moneragala. It is approxi-mately 318km from Colombo. The park office is situated at Lahugala.
Physical Features :
 The terrain is flat with occasional rock outcrops. The park fea¬tures three tanks, Lahugala (243ha), Kitulana and Sengamuwa, which ultimately drain into the Heda Oya. These tanks are largely silted up and support an abundance of beru grass. The area of the park is l,554ha.
 Climate :
Mean annual rainfall is 1650 mm. There are two dry periods, from May to October and from mid-January to March. The north¬east monsoon lasts from November to the end of December. Date and
History of Establishment : 
The area was declared as a sanctuary on 01st July 1966 upgraded to national park on 31st October 1980. Cultural Heritage :
Nearby is the historic site of Magulmahavihara, built for the occasion of King Kavantissas's marriage to Viharamaha Devi.

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