Pinnawala City
Pinnawala is a town in Sri Lanka known for the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Established in 1975, it is a popular tourist attraction where visitors can observe and interact with rescued elephants. The orphanage plays a crucial role in elephant conservation and rehabilitation efforts.
Pinnawala Open Zoo
The Pinnawala Open Air Zoo is Sri Lanka’s first open air zoo which has been declared open to the public as of April 2015. Located within proximity to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the zoo spreads over an expanse of 44 acres which has been landscaped without harming its natural beauty. Since Sri Lanka is home to a rich diversity of animals, the zoo consists of two zones “Sri Lankan” and “World”. However, currently the zoo is home to a number of native animals such as deer, leopard, crocodiles, species of monkeys, birds, turtles and many more.
The “Sri Lankan” section of the zoo will also include a special open section displaying the free-roaming Sri Lankan Leopard which is guaranteed to be a beautiful sight. The Sri Lankan Leopard is a leopard subspecies that is native to the island alone and is classified as one of the endangered species to roam the earth. Leopards are mainly spotted in dry evergreen monsoon forests areas, arid scrub jungles, rainforests and low and upper highland forests. So, it will be interesting to witness these predators at Pinnawala for a change. The “World” section is said to be constructed to hold a number of non-native animal species which is currently being look at.
The Pinnawala Open Air Zoo was proposed to be constructed in line with International Standards and so far the authorities have taken steps to maintain their promise. A number of facilities such as dining venues and areas to relax will be offered to local and tourists alike who visit the zoo. Since it’s located adjacent to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, chances are that you can plan your holiday around it and make a quick visit to both places without much hassle.
The Pinnawala zoo is home for the many endemic animals in Sri Lanka. The zoo is divided into 7 enclosures, where the monkey island, Bird aviary, Amphibian area, and Pet area 2 are still in construction. There are internal road network throughout the zoo.
The 7 main enclosures are:
- Pet area
- Swan pond
- Deer enclosure
- Crocodile enclosure
- Leopard enclosure
- Bear enclosure
- Butterfly garden
About Kegalle District
Kegalle is a town in Sabaragamuwa Province of . It is located on the Colombo - Kandy road and 48 miles/78 km away from Colombo and 24 Miles/40 km away from Kandy. It is the Capital City of the Kegalle District which is one of the two districts belonging to Sabaragamuwa province the other being Ratnapura District.
District of Kegalle, situated in between the central highlands and western southern planes and has an enchanting environment. Height of the western region is less than 500 feet from the sea level while eastern region exceeds 1000 feet. Rubber cultivation has stretched over most of the area of the District and minor export crops such as coffee, cocoa,pepper,clove and nutmeg takes an important place in the economy of the District. Sri Lanka's best graphite mine is situated at Bogala in Kegalle District. The extent of the District is 1692.8 km2 (169,280 in hectares).
About Sabaragamuwa Province
The Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka contains two main cities called Ratnapura and Kegalle. At an elevation of approximately 500 feet above sea level, Ratnapura is the provincial capital of Sabargamuwa. It is 60 miles (100 km) from the main coastal city of Colombo. Province of Sabaragamuwa The gem-mining centre of Sri Lanka is also a major crossroad between southern plains and the hill country to the east.
In Sabaragamuwa province there is a route to Sri Pada from Ratnapura direction. Excursions include Sinharaja Forest Reserve and Udawalawe National Park. The route towards hill country is beautiful. The surrounding area is a popular trekking destination and a good place for bird watching.