Chundikkulam National Park
| Chundikkulam National Park | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Location: | Sri Lanka | ||
| Next city: | Kilinochchi | ||
| Surface: | 195.6533 km² | ||
| Founding: | June 22, 2015 | ||
The Chundikkulam National Park is a national park in the north of Sri Lanka , about 12 km northeast of Kilinochchi .
history
The Chundikkulam Lagoon and its surroundings were designated as a bird sanctuary on February 25, 1938 under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (No. 2) of 1937 . Towards the end of the Sri Lankan civil war in January 2009, Sri Lankan armed forces advancing from the small town of Nagar Kovil recaptured the area from the paramilitary Tamil Tigers . Subsequently, the Sri Lankan military began building military bases in the area, preventing local fishermen from using the area and local residents from returning to their homes. The army opened a resort in the northern part of the area in January 2012. After the end of the civil war, the government announced plans to convert various protected areas in the Northern Province into national parks. A strategic environmental assessment prepared by the government with the support of the United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Environment Program recommended expanding the Chundikkulam Sanctuary to the west to the Elephant Pass and to the southeast to Chalai and Pallamatalan, and to make it a national park. The recommendation stipulated that the area of the area should grow from 11,149 ha to 19,565 ha. a. due to the uptake of state forests nearby.
In May 2015, the government announced that Chundikkulam would be declared national parks along with the Adam's Bridge Marine National Park , Delft National Park and Madhu Road National Park.
The Chundikkulam Conservation Area became a national park on June 22, 2015 with an area of 19,565 ha.
Flora and fauna
The Chundikkulam Lagoon is partially surrounded by mangrove swamps and seagrass beds . The surrounding area includes borassus plantations , bush forests and a variety of arid flora.
There are numerous species of waterfowl and wading birds in the park , including:
- Coot
- Black-headed gull
- Wood sandpiper
- Colored stork
- Common sandpiper
- Great curlew
- Ruff
- Teal duck
- Teal
- Salmon tern
- Spoonbill
- Wigeon
- Common godwit
- Greater Flamingo
- Black-headed ibis
- Crescent sandpiper
- Pintail
- Stilt
- Pond sandpiper
- Terek sandpiper
- Godwit
The mammals that can be found in the park include
The swamp crocodile and saltwater crocodile have also been spotted in the park.
Individual evidence
- ^ Army opens yet another holiday resort in Jaffna
- ^ New Wildlife Parks In The North
- ↑ Wild north gets Govt's helping hand at last