Udawattakele Forest Reserve often spelled as Udawatta Kele, is a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of

Kandy Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...

. It is 104 hectares (257 acres) large. During the days of the

Kandyan kingdom The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century. Initially a client kingdom of the Kin ...

, Udawattakele was known as "Uda Wasala Watta" in

Sinhalese Sinhala may refer to: * Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka * Sinhalese people * Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka * Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language ** Sinha ...

meaning "the garden above the royal palace". The sanctuary is famous for its extensive

avifauna Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight s ...

. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many of small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might be seen. Udawattakele was designated as a forest reserve in 1856, and it became a sanctuary in 1938. The Sri Lanka Forest Department has two offices in the reserve, one of which (at the southeastern entrance) has a nature education centre with a display of pictures, posters, stuffed animals, etc. Being easily accessible and containing a variety of flora and fauna the forest has a great educational and recreational value. Groups of school children and students regularly visit the forest and the education centre. The forest is also popular with foreign tourists, especially bird watchers. Scientific nature research has been carried out in the forest by researchers. The forest is of religious importance as there are three Buddhist meditation hermitages and three rock shelter dwellings for Buddhist monk hermits.

History

It has been recorded that the

brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...

called Senkanda, from whose name the city's original name Senkandagalapura derives, lived in a cave in this forest. The rock-shelter or cave now known as the Senkandagala-lena is on the slope above the temple of the tooth and can be visited. The Senkandagala-lena collapsed in a landslide in 2012. The legend says the brahmin brought a sapling of

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi ( Sinhala: ජය ශ්‍රී මහා බොධිය) is a historical sacred bo tree (''Ficus religiosa'') in the Mahamewna Garden in historical city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. This is believed to be a tree grown f ...

here and planted it in the present site of Natha Devala. It was used as a

pleasure garden A pleasure garden is a park or garden that is open to the public for recreation and entertainment. Pleasure gardens differ from other public gardens by serving as venues for entertainment, variously featuring such attractions as concert halls, ...

by the Kandyan kings. The forest was reserved for the Royal family, and the pond in the forest was used for

bathing Bathing is the act of washing the body, usually with water, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes. By analogy, especially as a recreational activity, the term is ...

. The public was restricted from accessing the forest hence the name Thahanci kele (Sinhalese for Forbidden forest). Garrison_Cemetery

During the colonial era some of the land near the Temple of the Tooth was used to build the Kandy garrison cemetery. In 1834 governor

Horton Horton may refer to: Places Antarctica * Horton Glacier, Adelaide Island, Antarctica * Horton Ledge, Queen Elizabeth Land, Antarctica Australia * Horton, Queensland, a town and locality in the Bundaberg Region * Horton River (Australia), ...

built a path, Lady Horton's drive, in the forest in remembrance of his wife. Henry W. Cave mentions the

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

is about three miles long. Lady McCarthy's drive, Lady Torrington's road, Lady Gordon's road, Lady Anderson's road, Gregory path, Russell path, and Byrde lane are the other named walks in the forest. Some have gone in disuse long ago and are overgrown by the forest. On two hilltops in the southeastern side of the forest the overgrown remains of a garrison post from the first British occupation of the Kandyan Kingdom can be found. It is located in the jungle on the elevated areas to the east and west of the nature education centre. Ramparts and moats can still be seen in the jungle. On 24 June 1803 the forces of King Sri Wickrama Rajasingha attacked this post where the British troops were stationed in Kandy and made the garrison (mostly consisting of Malay and 'Gun Lascar' or Sepoy mercenaries) prisoners. Most of the British were later massacred.

Features

Udawattakele is located on a hill ridge stretching between the

Temple of the Tooth The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, ( si, ශ්‍රී දළදා මාළිගාව) is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which ho ...

and the Uplands-Aruppola housing schemes. The highest point of the ridge (7°17'55.41"N, 80°38'40.04"O) is 635 meters above sea level and 115 meters above the nearby Kandy Lake. Cittavisuddhi Lena

The sanctuary contains three Buddhist forest

monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

, i.e., Forest Hermitage, Senanayakaramaya and Tapovanaya, and three cave dwellings for Buddhist monks, i.e., Cittavisuddhi-lena, Maitri-lena and Senkadandagala-lena. The sanctuary acts as a

catchment area In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...

for the supply of water to the city of

Visiting

The visitors' entrance is on the western side of the forest, about 15–20 minutes walking from the Temple of the Tooth. From the Temple of the Tooth, go north along the D.S. Senanayaka Veediya road and after half a kilometer turn right at the post office near the Kandy Municipality, and follow the road up the hill. The entrance is on the right side of the Tapovanaya Monastery. There is parking space for cars and vans near the entrance and a refreshment stall. The entrance fee for Sri Lankan visitors is Rs. 30,-; the fee for foreign visitors is Rs. 570,-. Sri Lankan visitors have to register and leave their identity card at the entrance. Amorous unmarried couples are not allowed to enter the forest. The shady lovers' walk, which runs along the banks of the royal pond, is the most popular walk. During rainy weather there are leeches lurking along paths that will attempt to suck blood from the feet and legs of unwary visitors. Mosquito repellent or herbal balms such as Siddhalepa will protect against them.

Flora

The vegetation of the park comprises dense forest, mostly abandoned plantations and secondary formations. According to Hitanayake, perhaps basing himself on Karunaratne (1986, Appendix XIII) 460 plant species were growing in the forest, 135 tree and shrub species and 11 are

liana A liana is a long- stemmed, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy in search of direct sunlight. The word ''liana'' does not refer to a ta ...

s. These include 9 endemic species. In 2013, a survey identified 58 indigenous tree species (7 endemic), 61 indigenous shrub and small tree species (7 endemic), 31 indigenous herbs (3 endemic) of which 12 are orchids, and 57 indigenous lianas, creepers and vines (4 endemic). The forest features an

emergent layer Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

, a

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

and an

understory In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but abov ...

. Because of the dense two upper layers, understory is not present everywhere, especially in areas with the invasive

balsam of Peru Balsam of Peru or Peru balsam, also known and marketed by many other names, is a balsam derived from a tree known as ''Myroxylon balsamum'' var. ''pereirae''; it is found in El Salvador, where it is an endemic species. Balsam of Peru is used i ...

tree, (''

Myroxylon balsamum ''Myroxylon balsamum'', Santos mahogany, is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to tropical forests from Southern Mexico through the Amazon regions of Peru and Brazil at elevations of . Plants are found growing in well d ...

''), Mahogany trees, (''

Swietenia macrophylla ''Swietenia macrophylla'', commonly known as mahogany, Honduran mahogany, Honduras mahogany, or big-leaf mahogany is a species of plant in the Meliaceae family. It is one of three species that yields genuine mahogany timber (Swietenia), the othe ...

'') and Devil's Ivy (see Threats section below). A great variety of plant species are found in the relatively unspoilt northern and eastern sides of the forest. Some common indigenous tree and shrub species are ''

Acronychia pedunculata ''Acronychia pedunculata'' is a large shrub or small tree of the understory, gaps and fringes of low country and lower hill tropical forests of tropical Asia. Description Leaves: elliptic to suboblong, often with tapered base. Twigs more or l ...

'' (Sinhalese: "ankenda"), ''

Artocarpus nobilis ''Artocarpus nobilis'', the Ceylon breadfruit, is a tree species in the family Moraceae. It is endemic to south western regions of Sri Lanka. It is known as "Wal dhel - වල් දෙල්" , "Baedi dhel - බැදි දෙල්" or as "H ...

'' ("wal del"), ''

Artocarpus heterophyllus The jackfruit (''Artocarpus heterophyllus''), also known as jack tree, is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). Its origin is in the region between the Western Ghats of southern India, all of Bangladesh, Sri ...

'' ("kos"), '' Caryota urens'' ("kitul"), '' Aglaia elaeagnoidea'' ("puwanga"), ''

Bombax ceiba ''Bombax ceiba'', like other trees of the genus ''Bombax'', is commonly known as cotton tree. More specifically, it is sometimes known as Malabar silk-cotton tree; red silk-cotton; red cotton tree; or ambiguously as silk-cotton or kapok, both of ...

'' ("katu imbul"), ''

Canarium zeylanicum ''Canarium zeylanicum'' is a species of flowering plant in the frankincense family, Burseraceae, that is Endemism, endemic to Sri Lanka. ''Canarium zeylanicum'' is a large branched tree that can grow up to 25–30m in height. The seeds of this pl ...

'', ''

Cinnamomum verum ''Cinnamomum verum'', called true cinnamon tree or Ceylon cinnamon tree, is a small evergreen tree belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka. The inner bark of several other ''Cinnamomum'' species are also used to make cinnamon, but ...

'' ("kurundu", cinnamon), ''

Ficus virens ''Ficus virens'' is a plant of the genus ''Ficus'' found in Pakistan, India, southeast Asia, through Malaysia and into Northern Australia. Its common name is white fig; it is locally known as ''pilkhan'' and in the Kunwinjku language it is calle ...

'', ''

Filicium decipiens ''Filicium decipiens'', called the ferntree, fern tree or fern leaf tree, is a species of '' Filicium'' found in east Africa, Madagascar, India and Sri Lanka. It is planted as an ornamental tree in the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Hawaii, and ...

'' ("pihimbiya"), Aphananthe cuspidata ("wal-munamal"), ''

Goniothalamus gardneri ''Goniothalamus gardneri'' is a species of plant in the Annonaceae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-st ...

'', ''

Haldina cordifolia ''Haldina cordifolia'', syn. ''Adina cordifolia'', is a flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae, the sole species in the genus ''Haldina''. It is native to southern Asia, from India east to Yunnan and Vietnam and south to Peninsular Malaysia. I ...

'', ''

Hunteria zeylanica ''Hunteria zeylanica'' grows as either an evergreen shrub or as a tree up to tall, with a trunk diameter of up to . Its flowers feature a white corolla. The berries are yellow. Its habitat is forests from sea level to altitude. The trees can w ...

'', ''

Mallotus tetracoccus ''Mallotus tetracoccus'', also known as the rusty kamala, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a tree species found in parts of south Asia, typically occurring in the edges of tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergre ...

'', ''

Mesua ferrea ''Mesua ferrea'', the Ceylon ironwood, or cobra saffron, is a species in the family Calophyllaceae. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental due to its graceful sha ...

'' ("na", iron-wood), ''

Michelia champaca ''Magnolia champaca'', known in English as champak (), is a large evergreen tree in the family Magnoliaceae.

'' ("sapu"), ''

Mangifera zeylanica ''Mangifera zeylanica'' or "Sri Lanka wild mango" is a wild species of mango tree endemic to Sri Lanka. This stately tree is the tallest member of the mango genus, ''Mangifera'', and one of the two tallest trees in the family Anacardiaceae. The ...

'' ("atamba"), '' Neoclitsea cassia'' ("dawul kurundu”, wild cinnamon), ''

Glycosmis pentaphylla ''Glycosmis pentaphylla'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, known commonly as orangeberry and gin berry. It occurs in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. It is cultivated for its edible pink fruits. In temperate zones, it ...

'' (orangeberry, doda-pana), '' Litsea quinqueflora'', '' Micromelum minitum'' ("wal karapuncha"), ''

Pavetta blanda ''Pavetta blanda'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to the Laccadive Islands, south India and Sri Lanka. References blanda The Blanda () is a river in Iceland which flows northwards from the northwest side ...

'', ''

Psychotria nigra ''Psychotria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It contains 1,582 species and is therefore one of the largest genera of flowering plants. The genus has a pantropical distribution and members of the genus are small understor ...

'', ''

Vitex pinnata ''Vitex pinnata'' is a tree of the family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the ...

'' ("milla") and '' Walsura gardneri''. There are many climber and liana species growing in the Udawattakele forest, most notable is the giant Sea Bean climber ''

Entada rheedii ''Entada rheedii'', commonly known as African dream herb or snuff box sea bean, and as the cacoon vine in Jamaica, is a large woody liana or climber of the Mimosa Family (Mimosaceae). The vine can grow as long as 120 meters (393.7 feet). Their s ...

'' ("Pus Wel"). Some other species are ''

Anamirta cocculus ''Anamirta cocculus'' ( mr, काकमारी) is a Southeast Asian and Indian climbing plant. Its fruit is the source of picrotoxin, a poisonous compound with stimulant properties. The plant is large-stemmed (up to 10 cm in diameter) ...

'' ("Tittawel”), '' Diploclisia glaucescens'', ''

Hiptage bengalensis ''Hiptage'' is a genus in the Malpighiaceae, a family (biology), family of about 75 genera of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. ''Hiptage'' comprises 30 (or more) species of vines and woody shrubs growing in forests of tropical southea ...

'', ''

Hypserpa nitida ''Hypserpa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Menispermaceae. Its native range is Tropical and Subtropical Asia and the Western Pacific. Species: *''Hypserpa ademae'' *''Hypserpa calcicola'' *''Hypserpa decumbens'' *' ...

'' ("Niriwel"), '' Morinda umbellata'' ("Kiri-wel"), and ''

Paramignya monophylla ''Paramignya'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Rutaceae The Rutaceae is a family, commonly known as the rue''Calamus'' (palm), of which there are two species. Some of the climbing palms here are over 25 meters long, growing up and over trees. Elsewhere in Sri Lanka rattan palms are often cut down when young for making rattan. Orchid species, mostly epiphytic, include '' Cymbidium bicolor'', ''

Luisa teretifolia Luisa (Italian and Spanish), Luísa ( Portuguese) or Louise (French) is a feminine given name; it is the feminine form of the given name Louis ( Luis), the French form of the Frankish Chlodowig (German Ludwig), from the Germanic elements ''hl ...

'', '' Polystachya concreta'', '' Thrixspermum pulchellum'', '' Tropidia curculigoides'' and '' Vanda testacea''. The sanctuary is home to many species of non-flowering plants,

pteridophyte A pteridophyte is a vascular plant (with xylem and phloem) that disperses spores. Because pteridophytes produce neither flowers nor seeds, they are sometimes referred to as "cryptogams", meaning that their means of reproduction is hidden. Ferns, ...

s, such as the many kinds of ferns growing on steep banks along the shady road on the eastern side of the hill ridge. The invasive glossy maidenhair fern (''Adiantum pulverulentum'') is said to crowd away native fern species, some of which are rare and not recorded elsewhere in Sri Lanka. About half of the forest, mostly on the southwestern side, is heavily invaded by exotic tree and creeper species. In these areas very little native vegetation and fauna is able to survive; see the Threats section below. In total 16 exotic tree species grow in the forest (7 of which are invasive), as well as 6 exotic shrub species (one, Coffea, is invasive), 6 exotic liana and creeper species (of which three are invasive), and 6 exotic herbs (one of which is invasive).

Fauna

Psittacula calthropae -Sri Lanka -eating fruit-8

Udawattakele is a famous

birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, b ...

site. About 80 bird species have been recorded in the sanctuary. The endemic bird species are

Layard's parakeet Layard's parakeet (''Psittacula calthrapae'') is a parrot which is a resident endemic (ecology), endemic breeder in Sri Lanka. The common name of this bird commemorates the British naturalist Edgar Leopold Layard; his first wife, Barbara Anne Cal ...

yellow-fronted barbet The yellow-fronted barbet (''Psilopogon flavifrons'') is an Asian barbet, which is an endemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka, where it inhabits subtropical and tropical moist forests, wetlands, plantations and rural gardens up to an altitude of ...

, brown-capped babbler and

Sri Lanka hanging parrot The Sri Lanka hanging parrot (''Loriculus beryllinus'') is a small parrot which is a resident endemic breeder in Sri Lanka. Description The Sri Lanka hanging parrot is a small hanging parrot that is 13 cm long with a short tail. The adult has a ...

. The rare

three-toed kingfisher The oriental dwarf kingfisher (''Ceyx erithaca''), also known as the black-backed kingfisher or three-toed kingfisher, is a pocket-sized bird in the family Alcedinidae. This tropical kingfisher is a partial migrant that is endemic across much ...

''Ceyx erythacus'' has been observed occasionally at the pond.

Common hill myna The common hill myna (''Gracula religiosa''), sometimes spelled "mynah" and formerly simply known as the hill myna or myna bird, is the myna most commonly seen in aviculture, where it is often simply referred to by the latter two names. It is a ...

golden-fronted leafbird The golden-fronted leafbird (''Chloropsis aurifrons'') is a species of leafbird. It is found from the Indian subcontinent and south-western China, to south-east Asia and Sumatra. It builds its nest in a tree, laying 2-3 eggs. This species eats i ...

blue-winged leafbird The blue-winged leafbird (''Chloropsis moluccensis'') is a species of leafbird found in forest and second growth throughout Southeast Asia as far east as Borneo and as far south as southern Sumatra. It previously included Jerdon's leafbird (' ...

spotted dove The spotted dove (''Spilopelia chinensis'') is a small and somewhat long-tailed pigeon that is a common resident breeding bird across its native range on the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia. The species has been introduced to many parts ...

emerald dove The common emerald dove (''Chalcophaps indica''), also called Asian emerald dove and grey-capped emerald dove, is a widespread resident breeding pigeon native to the tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. ...

Tickell's blue flycatcher Tickell's blue flycatcher (''Cyornis tickelliae'') is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family. This is an insectivorous species which breeds in tropical Asia, from the Indian Subcontinent eastwards to Bangladesh and western Myanmar. The I ...

white-rumped shama The white-rumped shama (''Copsychus malabaricus'') is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster has led to it ...

crimson-fronted barbet The crimson-fronted barbet (''Psilopogon rubricapillus''), also called Sri Lanka barbet, is an Asian barbet endemic to Sri Lanka where it inhabits tropical moist lowland forests up to elevation. It has a mainly green plumage and wings, a blue b ...

brown-headed barbet The Brown-headed barbet (''Psilopogon zeylanicus'') is an Asian barbet species native to the Indian subcontinent, where it inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. It is widespread, with its range stretching from the Terai in so ...

crested serpent eagle The crested serpent eagle (''Spilornis cheela'') is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range across the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and East Asia, there are considera ...

, and

brown fish owl The brown fish owl (''Ketupa zeylonensis'') is a fish owl species in the family known as typical owls, Strigidae. It is native from Turkey to South and Southeast Asia. Due its wide distribution it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. ...

are regularly seen and heard in the forest. Indian Muntjac, Barking Deer 2

Despite the forest reserve being completely surrounded by Kandy and its suburbs, there are many kinds of mammals, most of which are nocturnal. Endemic mammals that live in the sanctuary are the pale-fronted

toque macaque The toque macaque (; ''Macaca sinica'') is a reddish-brown-coloured Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is known as the ''rilewa'' or ''rilawa'' ( Sinhala: රිළවා), (hence "rillow" in the ''Oxford English Dictionary''). Its n ...

(''Macaca sinica aurifrons''),

golden palm civet The golden palm civet (''Paradoxurus zeylonensis'') is a palm civet endemic to Sri Lanka. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Its distribution is severely fragmented, and the extent and quality of its habitat in Sri Lanka's hill ...

mouse deer Chevrotains, or mouse-deer, are small even-toed ungulates that make up the family Tragulidae, the only extant members of the infraorder Tragulina. The 10 extant species are placed in three genera, but several species also are known only f ...

(''Moschiola meminna''),

slender loris The slender lorises (''Loris'') are a genus of loris native to India and Sri Lanka. The genus comprises two species, the red slender loris found in Sri Lanka and the gray slender loris from Sri Lanka and India. Slender lorises spend most of their ...

, and the dusky palm squirrel. Other mammals are the

Indian muntjac The Indian muntjac or the common muntjac (''Muntiacus muntjak''), also called the southern red muntjac and barking deer, is a deer species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. In popular local l ...

Indian boar The Indian boar (''Sus scrofa cristatus''), also known as the Andamanese pig or Moupin pig,Lydekker, R. (1900), The great and small game of India, Burma, & Tibet', London : R. Ward, pp. 258-266 is a subspecies of wild boar native to India, Nepal, ...

porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethizont ...

(''Hysterix indica''),

Asian palm civet The Asian palm civet (''Paradoxurus hermaphroditus''), also called common palm civet, toddy cat and musang, is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, it is IUCN Red Listed as Least Concern as it accommodates to a broad range ...

small Indian civet The small Indian civet (''Viverricula indica'') is a civet native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its widespread distribution, widespread habitat use and healthy populations living in agr ...

ruddy mongoose The ruddy mongoose (''Urva smithii'') is a mongoose species native to hill forests in India and Sri Lanka. Description The ruddy mongoose's fur is brownish and coarse, long in hindquarters, but short in other parts of the body. Its head to body ...

Indian giant flying squirrel The Indian giant flying squirrel (''Petaurista philippensis''), also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane ...

greater bandicoot rat The greater bandicoot rat or Indian bandicoot rat (''Bandicota indica'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam akist ...

Indian pangolin The Indian pangolin (''Manis crassicaudata''), also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater is a pangolin native to the Indian subcontinent. Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping scales on its body which act as armour. The colo ...

greater false vampire bat The greater false vampire bat (''Lyroderma lyra'') is a species of bat in the family Megadermatidae, the false vampire bats. It is native to Asia. It is also known as the Indian false vampire bat or greater false-vampire Description This speci ...

, and Indian flying-fox. Several kinds of reptiles and amphibians, including endemic species, inhabit the forest. There are snakes such as the common hump-nosed pit viper (''

Hypnale hypnale ''Hypnale hypnale'' is a venomous pit viper species endemic to India and Sri Lanka. Common names include the hump-nosed viper,United States Navy (1991). ''Poisonous Snakes of the World''. New York: United States Government/Dover Publications Inc. ...

''), green vine snake ('' Ahaetulla nasuta''), green pit viper ('' Trimeresurus trigonocephalus''), banded kukri (''

Oligodon arnensis The banded kukri snake, russet kukri snake, or common kukri snake, (''Oligodon arnensis''), is a species of nonvenomous colubrid found mainly in South Asia. Description :''See snake scales for terms used'' The nasal scale is divided; the porti ...

''), Boie's rough-sided snake (''

Aspidura brachyorrhos ''Aspidura brachyorrhos'', commonly known as Boie's rough-sided snake and as ලේ මැඩිල්ලා (le medilla) in Sinhala, is a colubird species endemic to Sri Lanka. Bites from this species are known to cause mild local reaction, i ...

'') Sri Lanka cat snake (''

Boiga ceylonensis ''Boiga ceylonensis'' (Sri Lanka cat snake) is a species of rear-fanged, mildly venomous, nocturnal, arboreal colubrid snake endemic to Sri Lanka. Description This is a thin-bodied, elongate, slim, tree snake. Taxonomic features: Dorsal Scale ...

''), Oriental ratsnake (''

Ptyas mucosus ''Ptyas mucosa'', commonly known as the oriental ratsnake, Indian rat snake, ''darash'' or ''dhaman'', is a common non-venomous species of colubrid snake found in parts of South and Southeast Asia. Dhamans are large snakes. Typical mature total l ...

'') and spectacled cobra (''

Naja naja The Indian cobra (''Naja naja''), also known as the spectacled cobra, Asian cobra, or binocellate cobra, is a species of cobra found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, and a member of the "big four" species that are ...

''). Lizards that can be seen include the green forest lizard ('' Calotes calotes''), Sri Lanka kangaroo-lizard (''

Otocryptis wiegmanni ''Otocryptis wiegmanni'', commonly called the brown-patched kangaroo lizard, Sri Lankan kangaroo lizard or Wiegmann's agama, is a small, ground-dwelling agamid lizard endemic to Sri Lanka. Etymology The specific name, ''wiegmanni'', is in hono ...

'') and the whistling lizard ('' Calotes liolepis''). Many species of skinks, geckos, frogs and toads also inhabit the forest. Some Sri Lanka wet zone butterflies are present. Other invertebrate include giant forest scorpions ''

Heterometrus ''Heterometrus'', whose members are also known by the collective vernacular name giant forest scorpions, is a genus of scorpions belonging to the family Scorpionidae. It is distributed widely across tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia, in ...

'' spp., spiders such as the poisonous Sri Lankan ornamental tarantula (''Poecilotheria fasciata''), fireflies, beetles, jewel bugs, bees and wasps. At least nine species of endemic land snails such as the large ''

Acavus superbus ''Acavus superbus'' is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Acavidae. Three subspecies recognized. Description ''Acavus superbus'' has green colored shell and rose brown body. Distribu ...

'' live in the forest.

Threats

Udawattakele Forest Reserve has suffered from encroachment by squatters and

land grabbing Land grabbing is the contentious issue of large-scale land acquisitions: the buying or leasing of large pieces of land by domestic and transnational companies, governments, and individuals. While used broadly throughout history, land grabbing as ...

by surrounding land owners in the past. But the forest ecosystem is now mainly threatened by highly invasive, introduced exotic plant species that increasingly crowd native plant and tree species and the animals and insects that live on them. The invasive tree and creeper species have no natural enemies such as diseases or insects and animals that feed on them and therefore grow and multiply much more rapidly than in their native habitats. About half of the forest is already heavily or completely invaded and smothered by exotic, invasive trees and creepers. Introduced species pose the biggest threat to the natural biodiversity of the Udawattakele forest: * The highly invasive Peru balsam tree ''

'' from South America is the first. Dense stands of thousands of young trees can be seen along the roads in the eastern and northern side of the forest. * The pothos or devil's ivy, ''

Epipremnum aureum ''Epipremnum aureum'' is a species in the arum family Araceae, native to Mo'orea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. The species is a popular houseplant in temperate regions but has also become naturalised in tropical and sub-tropical fore ...

'', creeper from the

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...

is the second major threat. In the northwestern and western part of the reserve, around the royal pond and near the presidential palace and Temple of the Tooth, the creepers completely cover several hectares of the forest floor. They also climb high up tree trunks, and their large leaves block the light for other species underneath. The creepers are gradually spreading further to the east and south. Some years ago they were planted on road banks elsewhere in the forest. * Mahogany, ''

'', a timber tree from South America, is quite invasive and disrupts the forest's diverse ecology. * Coffee shrubs (''Coffea robusta'' or ''Coffea arabica'') are invasive in parts of the forest, as they are in the nearby Gannoruwa Forest Reserve at

Peradeniya Peradeniya ( si, පේරාදෙණිය, translit=Pēradeniya; ta, பேராதனை, translit=Pērātaṉai) is a suburb of the city of Kandy Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a m ...

. * The glowvine, ''

Bignonia magnifica ''Bignonia magnifica'', known as glowvine, is a species in the trumpet-vine family, Bignoniaceae. Originally described in the genus ''Bignonia'' in 1879, it was later transferred to the Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus ''Saritaea'' as the sole sp ...

'', from Brazil is another invasive species, and covers several trees near the royal pond and near the Maitri cave. * In some areas ''

Aglaonema ''Aglaonema'' is a genus of flowering plants in the arum family, Araceae. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and New Guinea.

commutatum'', a Philippine evergreen, covers the forest floor and road banks. Udawattakele Pond 2

Severely degraded forest areas are between the Temple of the Tooth, the forest department office at the western entrance, and the slopes northeast of the royal pond. A few patches of unspoiled forest, with mostly native species of trees and shrubs, remain on the northern and eastern sides of the forest. There is a patch of native forest, near the forest department office at the southeastern entrance. Despite the forest being of great educational, scientific, ecological, historical and cultural value, the Forest Department has no management plan to maintain the biodiversity and remove the invasive species to restore and protect the native vegetation. Necessary control measures would be the uprooting of seedlings, collecting and destroying seeds, and removal of mother trees and creepers. Nyanatusita & Dissanayake 2013: p. 44

References

Works cited

* * {{Kandyan period topics Protected areas established in 1856 Protected areas in Central Province, Sri Lanka Wildlife sanctuaries of Sri Lanka

History

Features

Visiting

Flora

Fauna

Threats

See also

References

Works cited