In the southern and Sabaragamu provinces of Sri Lanka, in the south-west lowland wet zone, is Sinharaja, a rain forest and a hotspot for biodiversity. The country’s last remaining primary tropical rain forest is located in Sinharaja. The term “Sinharaja” indicates “Lion King” in English. In Sri Lanka, Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a very important area for wildlife and vegetation. It is a biodiversity park that protects the country’s sole remaining piece of primary tropical rainforest. In the year 1988, UNESCO designated it as a World Historic Site. Since 1978, the park has also been preserved as a World Biosphere Reserve.

11,000 Hectares of primary and secondary woods are present there. This short stretch of hilly terrain is made up of numerous hills and valleys. More than 60% of the trees in Sinharaja Forest are native to the area, and many of them are unique. There is a lot of endemic wildlife in the reserve, particularly birds, but there are also many different kinds of insects, reptiles, and uncommon amphibians, as well as over 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic butterfly and mammal species.