Increase in visitors to Wilpattu Park

by Florence Wickramage

There is an increase in local and foreign visitors to the Wilpattu National Park after it was opened to the public in March and visitor facilities were developed, Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) Dayananda Kariyawasam told the Daily News yesterday.

Under the direction of Environment and Natural Resources Minister A.H.M.Fowzie, three visitor bungalows in the Wilpattu National Park was constructed with private sector assistance.

These renovated bungalows are Manawila, Thanawila and Panikkawila and have been opened to the public. Fowzie has instructed the DWLC to renovate the balance bungalows in the park and make them available to the public. The 131,694 ha. Wilpattu National Park is the largest National Park in the island. It was closed to the public since 1989 due to terrorist activities.

Kariyawasam said the lack of visitor facilities results in the decrease of visitors to national parks. Whilst upgrading visitor facilities in all national parks, the DWLC will renovate natural tanks and increase food stocks so that adequate water and food would be available for animals.