Udawatta Kele Sanctuary

The Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, also known as Kandy’s Royal Forest Park, is located on a hillside behind the Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Tooth Relic. This 257-acre forest is considered a vital bio reserve for the densely populated Kandy City. Centuries ago, the area surrounding Kandy was a Rain Forest, and human settlements began during the reign of King Panditha Parakramabahu (1302-1326 AD), and King Wickramabahu made Kandy his Kingdom in 1371 AD. Kandy was known as “Senkadagala” during this time period. This name was inspired by a Brahmin named Senkanda, who lived in a cave at Udawattakele during that time period.

Due to human activity, the forest’s state worsened, and in 1856 the government declared it a forest reserve. Later, in 1938, it was designated as a sanctuary. The catchment areas of this forest provide the majority of the water resources for Kandy Lake. This priceless forest region provides Kandy city, which is surrounded by various hills, with much-needed air purifying activities.

Udawattakele was first designated as a woodland reserve in 1856 and later as a sanctuary in 1938. The sanctuary functions as a watershed that supplies water to Kandy.

Since the Udawattakele Forest Reserve is located inside the city, you can participate in a variety of forest activities like jungle hiking, bird viewing, and walking.

History

However, when Kandy became the nation’s capital, the royal rulers declared it to be a prohibited forest. Since the public was subject to restrictions, it was given the name Thansi Kele, which translates to “Forbidden Forest” in Sinhala. This had encouraged the forest to be well-maintained and the foliage to flourish in terms of density and abundance, increasing the number of animals and birds over time.
The center pond was given the name Royal Pond since the royal queens utilized it for bathing. The kings chose the forest as a hideout since it had been exceedingly dense and offered defense against any invasion.

On the whole, the forest reserve was used as a pleasure garden for the Royals.

Flora & Fauna

The flora in the forest is abundant and includes a canopy, a sub-canopy, and a subterranean layer. The amount of vegetation limits how much sunlight reaches the soil’s surface. The seedlings of canopy layer species and creepers that extend to the tops of canopy layer trees make up the majority of the underground layer.

There is a giant 200 to 300 years old “Pus Wela” or ‘Entada pusaetha’ liana in the forest.

The refuge is a haven for birdwatchers. Since Kandy has an intermediate climate, species from both wet and dry zones have been added to the mix of species that live in the forest. More than 400 different plant species exist, including ferns, herbs, shrubs, and orchids. Other creepers and the local liana known as “Wevel” add breathtaking beauty. There are 32 species of butterflies, over 80 species of birds, and 15 distinct types of mammals in the forest. Among the mammals are toque monkeys, wild boars, and barking deer.

There are pond-dwelling fish species like tilapia as well as reptiles and amphibians like the freshwater turtle species known as the Black Turtle. The Layards Parakeet, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Yellow Fronted Barbets, Black Crested Bul Bul, Emerald Dove, and many other species may be found in the jungle.