|
|
|
  |
| Sunday, 8 May 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
A wildlife tourist in Sri Lanka after the tsunami : Going wild by Mike Hilman
Our long awaited trip to Sri Lanka came to fruition when we touched down in Katunayake on February 5. We were greeted by our Naturalist Guide, Uditha Hettige and our driver, Kallan, both of whom would be with us throughout our three weeks stay. Our detailed itinerary included several of the National Parks, all the major habitat zones and important cultural sites. Our first stopover was at Villa Talangama overlooking Talangama Tank. We were greeted by the heady sights and smells of lush vegetation on the lake and 30 degree heat. Here we had our first sightings of various species of water birds. Highlights were Black and Yellow Bitterns. The next day, we set off to Sinharaja Rainforest, where the endemic birds awaited us. Our highlight in the night was a Sri Lanka Frogmouth. We also saw the Purple Faced Leaf Monkey and several Green Lizards.
Our itinerary also took us to Kitulgala. One afternoon, we crossed the river in a dug-out canoe and walked through the Kelani Valley Forest to Parawalatanne village where we were able to meet the local people and also see another endemic, the Green-billed Coucal. The walk back in the dark and the return crossing in the dug-out was another experience not to be forgotten. The itinerary promised a lot of big game and dry zone birding and we were looking forward to that. Jeep safaris to Bundala National Park were fascinating. We found out that it was home for 150 species of resident birds and winter migrants! At Uda Walawe, from Uditha's perspective the undoubted highlight for him was the first time sighting of a Black-headed Bunting posing on the track alongside a Red-headed Bunting. The elephants though, provided us with further thrills, with a small herd during the morning getting rather excited with ear flapping and trumpeting. On our game drives to Yala National Park we saw, Elephants, Spotted and Sambar Deer, Wild Boar, Ruddy and Brown Mongoose, Jackals, Mugger Crocodiles and Water Buffalo. We can honestly say, that other than the inner feelings we felt for the victims and survivors of the tsunami disaster, we were not affected physically in any way. The hotels are up and running, the roads were all open and the infrastructure of the country as a whole was secure. The staff in the hotels, jeep drivers, guides, and many more are all suffering hardship as a result of tourists staying away. We were asked to spread the message. 'Please continue to come to Sri Lanka'.
The evening ended with a good sighting of a Civet Cat. During our three weeks holiday, we spent a week in a Hill Country. Sri Andrew's Hotel was our base in Nuwara Eliya. At dawn we left for Horton Plains. We had early sightings of Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, followed by other endemics. Sri Lanka Hill White-eye, Yellow Eared Bulbul, Sri Lanka Woodpigeon, and Dull-blue Flycatcher. At Hakgala Botanical Gardens we photographed and recorded various frog species, and the Rhinoceros-horned Lizard. The Bear Monkeys although heard, proved to be elusive. We visited the Knuckles wilderness and Kandy city based from Hunas Falls Hotel, which is a magnificent hotel set on a mountainside with views through the valley and with its own lake in the grounds. Knuckles Wilderness was of outstanding beauty with breathtaking views of the mountain scenery. Uditha explained that the mountain peaks mimicked the shape of the knuckles on our hands - hence the name. Throughout our trip so far we had observed myriads of white migrant butterflies flying through on their migration to Adams Peak. However the numbers at Knuckles surpassed what we had seen so far. The highlight was a Green Lizard, and a very strange looking Leaf-nosed Lizard. We also visited the cultural triangle sites, such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya. Uditha ensured that we had seen all of the most important features, at these cultural sites. Finally, we arrived at Blue Oceanic Hotel in Negombo. While in Negombo, we took a ride out to sea on one of the large outrigger sailing canoes, which we all found to be very exhilarating. On our last day we completed our checklists with Uditha, and he filled in the last remaining 'dots' on the map for us. It was then that Uditha disclosed yet another of his many talents, for he presented each couple with a pen and ink drawing, both of which he had dawn himself the previous evening - there was a Frogmouth for Jenny and me and a Bat for John and Jane. Each had been drawn from memory and is incredibly accurate. We shall all treasure these as permanent mementos of our trip to Sri Lanka. We found that the people of Sri Lanka were all very friendly and welcoming, the children are so polite, and above all everyone appeared to be genuinely pleased that we had come. However, the overriding request from the people in all the areas we visited is that we should encourage and try to persuade tourists to return to Sri Lanka. We all endorse this. Mike Hilman's tour and itinerary were organised by Jetwing Eco Holidays.
|
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
Our afternoon jeep safari proved to be very special; we came across the
carcass of a young Buffalo with a Wild Boar in attendance. Our guides were
certain this was a Leopard kill, so we waited quietly and eventually had
terrific sightings of the Leopard just thirty metres away. After dinner,
Uditha found us some ground nesting Nightjars, both the Indian and
long-tailed. 
