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| Friday, 13 August 2004 |
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National Park status for Horagolla Sanctuary Text and Pictures by Jayaweera Sugathapala Attanagalla special correspondent
Plans are afoot to develop Wild Life Department's Horagolla Sanctuary, a scenic nature reserve near Nittambuwa in Attanagalla as a National Park. Environment and Natural Resources Minister, A. H. M. Fowzie has obtained Cabinet approval to implement the project, Gampaha District's Wild Life Assistant Director, N. C. P. Rupasinghe told the "Daily News". The first sanctuary in Gampaha district to be declared a National Park, Horagolla Sanctuary lies some 40 kilometres from Colombo off the Nittambuwa junction. You have to squeeze through a narrow entrance on the Pinnagolla cross road to enter Horagolla reserve. At the entrance is a natural pond located in a picturesque setting of tall trees. According to Wild Life Guide, R. K. Somachandra this park is a bird watchers' heaven with 68 different species inhabiting the area.
During our walk within the park we spotted five groups of birds, 'Grayhonebil', 'Hanging Parakete', 'Black Bulbul Crested', 'Layard's Parakete' and 'Black Backed Kingfisher'. You can also observe rare butterfly species such as 'Clipper', 'Birdwing' and the 'Blue Mormon' here. Large trees in this evergreen forest reserve include 'Ethdemata', 'Pihimbiya', 'Mahogany', teak and 'Ehela'. Also adding to the tranquility of thin lush green oasis, a stream flows down a verdant slope to the wewa below the park which is brimful of water. The first sanctuary in Gampaha district to be declared, National Park this Horagolla nature reserve represents a potential area of preserving wile life. |
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