Sinharaja forest reserve is a biodiversity hot-spot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a biosphere reserve and world heritage site by UNESCO. It is tropics rain forest in the world as nominated by UNESCO in 1988, and also conserved forest as nominated in 1962. This is famous wide variety of biodiversity and ever green forest.
Location: This rainforest spanning an area of 18900 acres is located within Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces of the south-west lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka, Which is located in Galle, Mathara and Rathnapura districts. It is highest place is top of the Hinipitigala Mountain (1170m). Sinharaja is bounded by rivers on three sides. On the north, Sinharaja is bounded by the Kalu Ganga, Naapola Dola and Kosthulana Ganga. On the south and south-west are the rivers Maha Dola and Gin Ganga. On the west are the river Kalukandawa Ela and river Kudawa Ganga. In addition we can see Brahamana Ella, Doovili Ella, Ura (pig) wetunu Ella and Gal doruwa Ella in this forest.
Bio-diversity: Sinharaja Forest reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.
Climate of sinharaja rain forest is meteorological records gathered from in and around Sinharaja over the last 60 years reveal the annual rainfall of Sinharaja forest has ranged between 3614mm to 5006mm and temperatures from 19°C to 34°C. The high rainfall is owing to two monsoons: south-west monsoons during May-July and the north-east monsoons during November-January.
