Wildlife tours in Sri Lanka are the new trend of tourism in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a gifted Country with many natural wildlife parks and flora and fauna unique to tropical lands. On that note, Sri Lanka is also home to marshy lands that provide habitat for wetland flora and fauna. Muthurajawela Marsh is a little known wetland 30 km north of Colombo in the Negombo Lagoon. If you desire to tour in this marshy land an discover wonders of nature,Club Hotel Dolphin is a fascinating Beach Hotel, Negombo for accommodation.
Muthurajawela Marsh is distinctive as the daily high tide brings in seawater from the ocean into the wetland. Continuous mixing of these two waters over thousands of years, has led to a brackish, integrated coastal ecosystem that is biologically diverse and teeming with life. A variety of mangroves and other types of flora including medicinal plants are found alongside numerous types of birds, butterflies and fish, some of which are endemic. Crocodiles, monitor lizards, and Sri Lanka’s largest snake, the Python, are also native.
The name Muthurajawela has been derived from Sinhalese language which the majority of Sri Lankans use to communicate. The meaning can be translated in to English simply as “The Field of Pearls”. According to anecdotes of the area, treasures of kings in olden days are believed to be buried in that area. Over the years, Mother Nature turned Muthurajawela into Sri Lanka’s biggest saline wetland, home to native purple herons, cormorants and kingfishers. However, it is disappointing to witness the marsh under pressure from industrial development.
Moreover, this marshy land is an excellent land for adventure and exploration. You can hide behind trees and observe kingfishers capturing their hunt and watch colourful birds build their nests! On the other hand, this is the perfect setting to catch a glimpse of lazing crocodiles!
Finally, do not forget to capture these moments for future entertainment!
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
