Wilpattu opens in April

Richmond Wijesekera Bentota group corr

The Wilpattu Sanctuary will open for tourists in April, sources told the Daily News .

The park is controlled at present by Security Forces and Wildlife Conservation Department officials.

Wildlife officers said they are preparing to take up the challenge to protect Wilpattu’s diverse wildlife.

According to the Department sources, infrastructure facilities of this sanctuary covering 131,667 hectares, were being prepared for tourists. Wilpattu, one of the oldest national parks in the country, was first declared as a sanctuary in 1905 and its conservation status was elevated to that of a National Park in 1938.