The Hill Country - Sri Lanka - page 423

these guys, who all seem to have hawk-like wildlife-spotting eyes, are normally very
knowledgeable about the park and its animals. A tip is expected.
Besides elephants, sambar deer and wild buffalo (although most buffalo you'll see in the
park are domesticated), there are also mongooses, jackals, water monitor lizards, lots of
crocodiles, sloth bears and the occasional leopard. There are 30 varieties of snakes and a
wealth of birdlife - 210 species at last count; northern migrants join the residents between
November and April.
Elephant Transit Home ZOO
(adult/child Rs 500/250; feedings 9am, noon, 3pm & 6pm)
This home, helping to care for the area's injured elephants, is on the main road about 5km
west of the Uda Walawe National Park entrance. Supported by the Born Free Founda-
tion ( www.bornfree.org.uk ) , the complex is a halfway house for orphaned elephants. After
rehabilitation, the elephants are released back into the wild, many into the Uda Walawe
National Park. Although you can't get up close and personal with the elephants, a visit at
feeding time is still a lot of fun.
At the time of research 98 elephants had been rehabilitated at the Elephant Transit
Home and subsequently released. A boisterous group of around 40 juvenile and teenage
pachyderms are currently there. Most 4WD operators include a visit here on their trips.