Wildlife in the East Coast

There is a wide variety of wildlife activities in Sri Lanka’s east coast, from searching out the fascinating marine life to settling back and doing a spot of bird watching.

One of the most unique wildlife experiences that travellers can do in the east of Sri Lanka is a boat safari at Gal Oya National Park. The park borders the Senanayake Samudraya, a large reservoir scattered with small islands, including Birds’ Island where flocks of birds go each year to nest. Take a boat safari along the reservoir at dusk and look out for elephants swimming between the islands.

Kumana National Park lies in the south-east of the island close to Yala National Park, in close proximity to the beach town Arugam Bay. With a variety of habitats including a coastal border, lagoons, wetland areas and large stretches of thorny scrubland, Kumana attracts a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, leopards and the endangered Fishing Cat, and is a key breeding ground for marine turtles and many bird species.

Pigeon Island, one of the island’s marine national parks, is the ultimate choice for those seeking to go snorkelling in Trincomalee: surrounded by beautiful coral reefs, these waters house much marine life including marine turtles and Blacktip Reef Shark.

If you are interested in exploring the marine life in Sri Lanka, head out to sea from Trincomalee Harbour in search of the whales and dolphins which live in the ocean close to the island’s eastern shores, including Sperm Whale and the mighty Blue Whale.