Kumana National Park lies in the southeastern dry zone adjoining the more well-known Yala National Park and is separated from it by the Kumbukan River. Its scrub-dominated landscape contains over twenty inland water bodies, which makes it one of Sri Lanka’s most sought-after destinations for bird watching as it is an important feeding and nesting ground for both local and migratory species. The park has 255 identified bird species, and some of its rarer species include the lesser adjutant, black-necked stork, and the Eurasian spoonbill in and around its waters and on land, the yellow-footed green pigeon, Malabar trogon and the racquet-tailed drongo. A small but seldom-seen elephant population exists within the park, but the most common are populations of mugger crocodiles making the water bodies their home.

Written by Jonathan Roelofsz for Travel Lanka Compass