Most visited Tourism Destinations places in Sri Lanka - Vankalai Sanctuary

 

Vankalai Sanctuary

 Vankalai Sanctuary, also known as the Mannar Bird Sanctuary, is located in the northwest of Sri Lanka in the Mannar District. This site covers an area of 4,839 ha (11,960 acres).

The region was designated as a sanctuary by the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 2008, and it offers a range of ecosystems (mangroves, salt marshes, lagoons, waterholes, and grasslands). In July 2010 it was selected as the fourth Ramsar wetland in Sri Lanka.

The sanctuary harbours more than 150 distinct bird species, including the Northern Pintail , Greater Flamingo, the Eurasian Wigeon, Indian spot-billed duck, Comb duck , Long-toed stint , Peregrine falcon , and Black-tailed godwit . The marine ecosystem has over sixty species of fish, marine turtles, and threatened species such as Dugong Green Sea turtle, and Saltwater Crocodile.