Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, often spelled as Udawattakele, is a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy. It is 104 hectares (257 acres) large. During the days of the Kandyan Kingdom, Udawatta Kele was known as "Uda Wasala Watta" in a meaning "The Garden above the Royal Palace". The sanctuary is famous for its extensive avifauna. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many of small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might be seen. Udawatta Kele was designated as a forest reserve in 1856, and it became a sanctuary in 1938.
The Sri Lanka Forest Department has two offices in the reserve, one of which (at the southeastern entrance) has a nature education center with a display of pictures, posters, stuffed animals, etc. Being easily accessible and containing a variety of flora and fauna the forest has a great educational and recreational value. Groups of school children and students regularly visit the forest and the education center. The forest is also popular with foreign tourists, especially bird watchers. Scientific nature research has been carried out in the forest by researchers. The forest is of religious importance as there are three Buddhist meditation hermitages and three rock shelter dwellings for Buddhist monk hermits.
Special Note for the Viewers:
I’ve done this video to make other human beings aware of the beauty of this place and please don’t misuse this information in order to ruin this place. I’ve spent so much of time/money bringing this to you so that you may enjoy it. However I’ve a very kind and humble request from you all.
Should you ever visit this place, you’re kindly requested to adhere to the following in order to save our Mother Nature (essentially Our Country) not only for the future generations but for the current one as well:
* Avoid careless/reckless/irresponsible/money-oriented/mega tour groups or organizers.
* Travel in smaller groups as Mother Nature can’t afford so many footprints at once.
* Minimize the use of polythene/plastic and do bring back if you have to take any with you.
* Don’t litter and even if it’ bio-degradable, please bring it back and dispose of the garbage properly and responsibly. Because no matter what it is, it will still be alien to that environment.
* Use reusable water bottles so that you don’t have to keep buying plastic ones. It’ll not only save you money but will help save nature massively.
* Remain quiet and vigilant. Don’t disturb the tranquility of the nature. Instead savor it.
* Try and bring if you spot any litter/garbage left behind by other careless travellers.
* Don’t light fires unnecessarily and do try to use portable cookers instead of using firewood when camping. The increase usage of firewood leads to more deforestation even at a smaller scale.
* Don’t bring any plants back with you or break any plants/branches unnecessarily.
* Don’t walk off the designated footpath.
* Don’t use soap/detergent/shampoo when bathing in natural streams as they’d only lead to the contamination of those pure water sources and elimination of wildlife species.
* Don’t do anything that harms the Mother Nature.
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