In the year 1988, Sinharaja Rain Forest was declared a UNESCO world heritage list. It was Sri Lanka’s first natural site to be included in the list. Sinharaja Rain Forest is the Sri Lanka’s last of the tropical lowland rainforests. Spreading in an area of 18900 acres (7,648 hectares), it ranges in altitude from 300m to 1,170m. Sinharaja rainforest borders within Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces of the south-west lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka and is marked by rivers on three sides. Sinharaja Forest Reserve can be accessed via Ratnapura, Kiriella, Kalawana, Weddala, and Rakwana. Sinharaja Forest reserve possesses over 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals and butterflies, and many species of insects, reptiles and amphibians.
Sinharaja rainforests receives a high level of rainfall from the two monsoons affecting Sri Lanka, and has an annual rainfall of 3614mm to 5006mm. the temperature levels of the forests varies from 19°C to 34°C.
There are many nature trails which are available for the travelers in the rainforest, leading to the mountain peaks in the forest which provide the traveler with a micro view of this natural museum of flora and fauna. Two main nature trails are Sinhagala and Mulawella Trails.
Birds
Sinharaja hosts over 147 species of birds in the forest including many of the endemic species to Sri Lanka, such as Ceylon Lorikeet ((Loriculus beryllinus), Layard’s Parakeet (Psittacula calthropae), Ceylon Jungle Fowl (Gallus Lafayetti), Spur Fowl (Galloperdix bicalcarta), Ceylon White-headed Starling (Sturnus albofrontatus), Ceylon Wood Pigeon (Columba torringtoni), Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis), Spotted-wing Thrush (Zoothera spiloptera), Rufous Babbler (Turdoides rufescens), Brown- capped Babbler (Pelleurneum fuscocapillum), Ashy-headed Laughing Thrush (Garrulax cinereifrons), Ceylon Blue Magpie (Cissa oronata), White Headed Starling (Sturnus albofrontatus). 19 of Sri Lanka’s 20 species of endemic bird species in Sri Lanka can be seen in the Sinharaja.
Mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and butterflies
The endemic species to Sri Lanka such as the Giant squirrel, dusky-stripped jungle squirrel, badger mongoose and endemic purple-faced leaf monkey and torque macaque can be found in the Sinharaja rainforest and 50% of the amphibians and butterflies found here are endemic. The list includes the endemic green pit viper, endemic hump nosed lizard (Lyriocephalus scutatus) and rough-nose horned lizard (Ceratophora aspera).
Out of the 12 species of mammals found in the Sinharaja rainforest, 8 are endemic to Sri Lanka including the Kola Wandura (Presbytis senax vetulus), Gona (Sambhur-Cervus unicolour), diviya (Leopard- Panthera pardus kotiya), Olu Muwa (Barking deer-Muntiacus muntijak), Wild boar (Pus scrofa).
More than 20 species of fish can be found here, of which 7 are endemic to the forest itself. There are 19 species of amphibians in the Sinharaja and among them 10 are endemic. And out of the 65 species of butterflies found here 21 are endemic. Among the butterflies found in Sinharaja, there are Common Bird wing (Troidus helena), Blue Mormon (Paoilio Polymnestor), Blue oakleaf (Kallima philarchas). There are 72 species of reptiles, of which 21 are endemic.
Vegetation
Sinharaja has two main forest types, Dipterocarpus forests in the valleys and on their lower slopes, and the secondary forest and scrub where the original forest cover has been removed by shifting cultivation or other tree removal operations. Mesua-Doona (Shorea) forest is the climax vegetation category spreading over most of the reserve, and it covers the middle and upper slopes above 500m.
More than 60% of the trees in the forest are endemic. Sinharaja has a complex vegetation system. There are many ‘layers’ of the forest – the canopy, sub canopy, under-storey, shrub layer and ground layer, and there are vegetation types like, stranglers, epiphytes, parasites and saprophytes. At present, the Sinharaja rainforest is remained with 6,500-7,000 hectares of unlogged forest.