An Inland wetland of Natural origin located in the Wet Zone of the Western province. The Walauwatta-Wathurana swamp forest is located in the Kalu Ganga river basin in the southwestern part of Sri Lanka, 25 km inland from the coastal town of Kalutara . More precisely, the site is situated along a stream locally known as the Batapotte ela, which feeds the Kuda Ganga, the latter being a tributary of the Kalu Ganga. Wathurana is the most significant swamp forest in Sri Lanka. As such, it is considered a site of national importance and harbours some unique species of flora and fauna. This swamp is a late successional stage of a freshwater marsh ecosystem. The area is subjected to seasonal inundation, especially during the southwest monsoon period. The swamp and its streams harbour several species of endemic as well as locally declining freshwater fish species, including Aplocheilus dayi, Acanthocobitis urophthalmus, Channa ara, Channa orientalis, Clarias brachysoma, Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi, Esomus thermoicos, Puntius bimaculatus, P. cumingii. P. pleurotaenia and P. titteya. The endemic amphibians include Lankanectes currugata and Rana gracilis. The aquatic reptiles include the endemic serpent Xenochrophis asperrimus. Since the swamp vegetation is bordered by lowland rainforest patches, endemic terrestrial birds such as Ocyceros gengalensis, alloperdix bicalcarata, Loriculus beryllinus, Megalaima flavifrons, Turdoides rufescens, Psittacula calthropae and Zoothera spiloptera can be found at this site. Among the noteworthy mammals, two endemic primate species (Macaca sinica and Trachypithecus vetulus) and Lutra lutra inhabit this site. This site harbours a large number of endemic species of which two, namely Mesua stylosa and Stemonoporus moonii are found exclusively in Wathurana. Other woody endemic species in the lowland rainforest patches and locally declining species, include dipterocarps (Dipterocarpus hispidus, Shorea dyeri, Doona affinis), rattans (Calamus delicatulus, Calamus digitatus) and other trees (Cullenia ceylanica, Cullenia rosayroana, Garcinia hermonii, Garcinia quaesita, Calophyllum moonii, Vateria copallifera, Mangifera zeylanica, Schumacheria castaneifolia, Semecarpus gardneri, Semecarpus moonii, Areca concinna). Most slopes are in use as rubber or tea plantations, and abandoned chenas are common. Some places are densely vegetated with wet lowland forest (e.g Honaka forest). The swamp is Privately owned.

Walauwatte-Wathurana Swamp Forest Related references