Kalametiya Bird Santuary
This sanctuary and lagoon belonging to the Tangalle Divisional Secretariat Division of the Hambantota District of the Southern Province, Located between Tangalle and Hambantota. To the west of the sanctuary is the Colombo - Kataragama main road. To the east is the great ocean. Its right side is separated by the Ussangoda National Park.. In the northern direction, Gurupokuna village is located. Just like the birds caressed by the sea breeze, this sanctuary is home to reptiles, insects, amphibians, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, amphibians, reptiles and colorful animals that thrive in the forest environment.
This is one of Sri Lanka's main tourist bird shelters, today's Boondala is a beautiful environment where you can see birds like any other wetland. This place, which has
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an environment rich in swamps and mangroves, is a priceless resource that we have. Vatanakama is an immeasurable wetland... a rare ecological niche. This land area is also considered to be an area where the "Silutu De Tuduwa", a tourist bird that is very difficult to see in Sri Lanka. Also, since ancient times, this is known as a wetland where vulture roosts in large numbers...
It is said that nearly 30,000 Valtharavans come and worship here. This sanctuary, which is second to none of the bird paradises in this country, Bundala, was originally comprised of 6240 acres. But at present there is a land area of about 1760 acres. There are also many plants adapted to a dry environment such as cacti and thorn bushes... You can often see places where plants have not grown. This wetland is created by the connection of the two lagoons, Lunama and Kalamatia, by a narrow canal. Scholars are of the opinion that the shell deposits in the sanctuary prove that hundreds of thousands of years ago, the area of Kalamatia and Lunama belonged to the sea. It is believed that this was a large wetland in the past. During the implementation of the Wild Animals and Pets Protection Ordinance, Kalamatia was made a sanctuary for the first time along with Wilpattu and Yala Parks... that was in 1930. But due to various influences of people, by the year 1946, it was removed from that condition again. However, on June 28, 1984, this was again made the 41st sanctuary in Sri Lanka. This is currently controlled by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and the Kalamatia site belonging to the Hambantota Wildlife Site is conserved by the Conservation Office. Aquatic plants, terrestrial plants, invasive plants and coastal plant community types are her Plants such as gourd,
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veera, bamboo, masan, masbadda, ranavara, cactus, malittang are abundant here... Invasive plants such as Japanese Jabara, Hambu Pan, Kalapu Andara etc. surrounded by purple flowers can also be seen near the lagoon. You can also see plants like sea cucumber, watkeiya, maha ravana, pila...