SINHARAJA RAINFOREST

SINHARAJA timber may be a world heritage web site and major eco business destination, which might even be delineated  as a Tropical Lowland timber or Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest . no matter its 'technical' name, it's beyond question a chic treasure hoarded wealth of nature with a good diversity of habitats and a colossal repository of Sri Lanka's endemic species found no wherever else within the world. BIRD observation during this scheme is especially attention-grabbing as a result of it's home to ninety fifth of the endemic birds of state ! Named as a world heritage web site in 1989, this lowland evergreen rain forest is steeped in deep legend and mystery. The word 'Sinharaja' suggests that, Lion (Sinha) King (Raja), and it's fashionable belief that the legendary origin of the Sinhala individuals is from the union between a patrician and therefore the lion king World Health Organization once lived within the forest!


History
The forest steeped in deep legend and mystery. The word Sinharaja suggests that, lion (sinha) king (raja) and therefore the fashionable belief is that the legendary origin of the Sinhala individuals in state is from the descendants of the union the lion king World Health Organization once lived within the forest and a patrician. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one in all the smallest amount disturbed and biologically distinctive lowland rain forests currently remaining in state.

This forest covers associate degree extent of roughly 11187 angular distance. From east to west the length of the forest is concerning twenty one kilometre. And its dimension from north to south is concerning three.7 km. The Sinharaja forest was at the start declared a person and region Reserve (MAB) in 1978, as representative of Tropical wet Evergreen Forest scheme in state and has been recognized by United Nations agency as a part of its International Network of region Reserves.

Subsequently it had been declared a National geographical area space, below the National Heritage geographical area space Act, in 1988 and of late a World Heritage web site in 1989.It is the state 's initial resource to earn this honored distinction. This forest is located within the southwest lowland Wet Zone of the country at latitudes six 21- six twenty six and longitudes eighty 21- 80-34.It spans over the executive districts of Ratnapura, Galle and Matara.

Sinharaja forest consists of a series of continuous ridges, aligned just about in associate degree east-west direction and lies between the tributaries of the Kalu Ganga within the north and therefore the Gin Ganga within the south.

There square measure four main routes of access to Sinharaja. The Kalawana- Weddagala road from the northwest, The Rakwana-Morning facet estate road from the northeast, the Hiniduma-Neluwa road from the southwest and Deniyaya-Pallegama road from the southeast. Among these roads the Kalawana-Weddagala road is shorter and additional convenient for guests traveling from national capital .

Topography
The elevation of the Sinharaja reserve ranges from 200m to 1300m. it's a rolling tract consisting of a series of ridges and valleys, that assumes associate degree east-west trend within the northwestern a part of the reserve. In different elements of the reserve, the ridges and valleys assume a north-west/south-east alignment. the height of Hinipitigala is that the tallest, rising up to concerning 1150m.Other necessary ridges within the reserve ranges between 550-800m tall NamelyMoulawella (760m), Kosgulana (797m), Sinharaja (742m), Kohilearambe (575m), Dotalugala (769m), and Tibbottagala (904m).

Geology and Soils
The Sinharaja Reserve lies inside the transition zone of 2 necessary teams of rock sorts, the south/western cluster that accommodates metasediments-charnokites and scapolites Vitus Behring calc granulites and therefore the highland cluster comprising khondalites of metamorphosed sediments and Charnockites. the foremost important earth science feature of Sinharaja is that the presence of a "Sinharaja Basic Zone" that contains hornblend pyriclasts, basic charnokites mineral amphibolites and scapolite.

The soils of Sinharaja for the most part belong to the cluster of Red Yellow Podzolic soils, with clearly distinguishable horizons of variable soil depths. The soil is well drained with little or no accumulation of organic matter.

Plant Life
The vegetation of Sinharaja is also delineated  either as a Tropical Lowland Rain Forest or Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest. Some hanging characteristics of the forest square measure the loftiness of the dominant trees, the straightness of their bole, the abundance of regeneration and therefore the diversity of species.

The average height of the trees varies between 35m -40m. Some people rise even upto 50m.

Contrary to fashionable belief scrub growth will occur on rock shelves or gaps on the cover created by falling of over-mature trees. the good diversity of species of Sinharaja forest makes it tough to differentiate ecological patterns. However, some tree associations are recognized and therefore these square measure the Dipterocarpus (Hora-Bu Hora) associate degree association confined to the lower elevations on the Gin Ganga natural depression and the Mesua-Doona (Shorea) association forms the matrix of the Sinharaja forest.

The vegetation of Sinharaja is that of wet wet evergreen forest kind with a high degree of indigenousness. in reality some families like Dipterocarpaceae show associate degree indigenousness quite ninetieth. The untapped genetic potential of Sinharaja flora is big. Out of the 211 woody trees and lianas up to now known inside the reserve 139(66%) square measure endemic. Similarly, high levels of indigenousness square measure maybe true for the lower plants like ferns, Epiphyts also. Out of twenty five general endemic to state thirteen square measure delineate in Sinharaja.

The total vegetation density, together with trees, shrubs, herbs and seedlings has been calculable to be around 240,000 people per area unit, of that ninety fifth comprise people of the bottom layer below 1m tall. The density of trees, lianas on top of 30cm girth at breast height, ranges between 600-700 individuals/ha. whereas the amount of vendible people of trees of girth larger than 150cm. Ranges between 45-55 individuals/ha.

Animal Life
Preliminary studies on the fauna of Sinharaja have discovered that there's a high degree of indigenousness among the butterflies, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. in reality 95%of the endemic birds of state square measure recorded in Sinharaja. indigenousness among mammals and butterflies are larger than five hundredth.

Out of the larger mammals, though elephants were aforesaid to be common within the past, there haven't been reports of sightings throughout the last fifteen years. However, there are reports of sightings of a number of animals within the japanese Sector. the foremost common cervid species is that the Sambhur.The ruminant and muntjac are found inside the reserve. Leopards square measure terribly rarely hawk-eyed, however their frequent presence has been confirmed by tracks and different signs. Brown viverrine and therefore the Golden civet are often hawk-eyed. the foremost normally seen primate is that the Purple long-faced Leaf Monkey.

Out of the birds recorded within the Western sector of the reserve, seventy two were resident non- endemic and thirteen migrants. one in all the foremost attention-grabbing and colourful spectacles to be found within the Sinharaja is that the presence of mixed species of hunting bird flocks, a development normally found in rain forests. a complete of one hundred such flocks were consistently ascertained, and studies have discovered that some flocks contained forty eight species together with twelve endemic species. The rare endemic birds to be seen in Sinharaja square measure the Red-faced Malkoha, the state Blue Magpie, the ash-gray - headed Babbler, the White- Headed oscine and therefore the Green-billed cuckoo the rarest of Sri Lankan birds.

The agamids square measure the best-represented cluster of reptiles, the foremost common being the inexperienced Garden Lizard of special significance square measure the sightings of Calotes liolepis associate degree arboreal species, the rarest of all agamids found within the island. the sole turtle recorded within the reserve is that the hard- shelled turtle, whereas of the species of skinks, the noticed scincid lizard usually|will be|is|may be} seen often. Among the snakes the inexperienced viper and Hump- pug-nose ophidian square measure normally found during this forest and square measure endemic to state .

The amphibians square measure fairly well delineate within the reserve and 9 endemic species are known. The endemic Torrent frog and therefore the common house frog. In most streams and marshes, the Wrinkled frog and therefore the the} state Reed frog also found in Sinharaja. Ramanella palmate a rare endemic species is that the solely microhylid recorded up to now whereas the yellow- banded Caecilian is that the solely apodan recorded.