New botanical and safari parks to be set up

By Lakshme Parasuraman

Setting up new Botanical and Zoological gardens and developing the existing parks will be a boom to the tourism sector.

Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation Minister Jayaratna Herath has taken several steps to speed up the above projects, on a directive by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Two new zoological gardens will be set up at Ridigama, Hambantota and Kahapola Piliyandala apart from the Dehewala zoo and Pinnawala national park. New botanical gardens will also be located in Mirijjawila, Hambantota, Seethawaka Avisawella and Jaffna. Most of these projects which will commence by the end of this year, will conserve biodiversity with special attention to the environment.

These projects will attract both local and foreign tourists, while being a boost to the university students and research.

A herbal garden has also been set up at Ganewatha.

It with 58 acres, it conserves many Ayurvedic plants most of which are unique species for Sri Lanka.

Students who conduct research are benefited by the Ganewatha botanical garden. It will be open for local and foreign tourists by the end of this year.

Piliyandala - Kahapola Zoo

The ministry had decided to set up a zoo in Kahapola in Piliyandala on the way to Ganewatha botanical garden.

This project will be located in a 125 acres land. Animals will be brought from other countries under the animal exchange program. The local and foreign tourists could visit this zoo with much ease as it is situated close to Colombo.

Hambantota - Mirijjawila Botanical Garden

Sri Lankas only botanical garden in the dry zone will be set up in Mirijjawila in Hambantota.

The rationale behind setting up such a garden is to conserve the indigenous plants in the district of the dry zone. This will help attract tourists whose numbers will go up with the commissioning of the Hambantota new harbour and the Mattala airport.

Hambantota - Ridigama Safari Park

The 'safari' for local and foreign tourists is a novel project to be launched soon by the SL Government.

This would be the largest animal kingdom in Sri Lanka. Steps have been taken to set up a safari park in keeping with international standard.

The park comprises two zones to represent African and Asian countries.

The ministry sources said that a land in extent of 161 acres has been allocated for the African zone and 54 acres for the Asian zone. Already lions have been brought to Sri Lanka from Africa under the animal exchange convention. There are other animals such as buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, tigers, bears and leopards also to be brought from African countries.

Avissawella - Illukovita Botanical Garden

Another botanical garden in Illukovita, Avissawella will be set up in 2014 to conserve wetzone plants. The garden which covers a total area of 75 acres will be expanded to 100 acres in the near future. The presence of rich biodiversity in a cool climate provides tranquility and peace of mind to the mentally retarded. Botanists of the Peradeniya garden maintain this garden.

Dehiwela Zoo

According to the Ministry officials there is no move to shift the Dehiwala zoo to another location. Annually around 2 million people visit the Dehiwala zoo. There is however a move to shift the big animals to the Hambantota safari park. The zoo is to be developed as a research centre for university students.

Jaffna Botanical Garden

An another botanical garden will be opened in Jaffna by the end of this year. It will be a habitat for many other animal species to be brought from Japan, Korea, China and South Africa.