Fast facts:
Total area: |
18512 hectares (45512 acres) |
Rainfall: |
3000 – 5000 ml (average annual) |
Temperature: |
5.5 Celsius to 35 Celsius |
Humidity: |
57% - 90% |
Wind Speed: |
7.2 km/hr |
Main Mountains |
Other mountains |
Gombaniya – 6248 ft |
Dumbaragala – 5389 ft |
Knucles – 6112 ft |
Kalupahana – 5341 ft |
Kirigalpoththa – 5403 ft |
Vannimana – 5110 ft |
Dothalugala – 5164 ft |
Kehelpothdoruwa 5016 ft |
Koboneelagala – 5098 ft |
Lakegala – 4324 ft |
Kawdagammana – 4970 ft |
Galthuna 3784 ft |
Water Resourses – Rivers , Streams..etc
Main rivers - |
Small rivers - |
Hulau Ganga (Hulau River) |
Heen Oya |
Meen Ganga (Meen River) |
Hasalaka Oya |
Kalu Ganga (Kalu River) |
Theligam Oya |
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| Waterfalls- |
| Dumbara fall |
| Vedda Peni fall |
| Meemure Fall |
The knuckles range is one of the most beautiful natural gift given to Sri Lankan’s. The blue mountains covered with mist, cascading waterfalls, rugged mountain peaks, grassland makes Knuckles range a perfect place to nature lovers. Dumbara mountain range covers an area of 18512 hectares spreading to Kandy and Matale districts.
Location and Boundaries:
The knuckles range is located in the northern end of the central mountains of Sri Lanka. The South and East of the Knuckles range is boarded by the ‘Mahaweli basin‘ where the West is boarded by the ‘Matale plane’.
Entry roads:
From Matale via Rattota and the Riversten
From Kandy via Hunasgiriya and the Corbert’s Gap
From Wattegama via Panwila
Flora and Fauna:
The type of forest cover the mountain rage is different. For example we can evident Dry evergreen forests, montane forests, sub- montane forests, dry and wet pathana, savanahha etc.. Because of this knuckles shows a considerable diversity. It has found thata the 20% of the plants grow here is endemic to Sri Lanka. Tree species such as “kaluvara , burutha, milla, mora, Badulla, etamba gro in this forest and plants which has medical value like bin kohamba, maha hedaya, sandaraja can be seen. Not only that, the forest is home to many different cane species , ferns, Orchids and lichens.
The diversity of animals in this forest is very high and it is home to many endemic mammal species, birds, fresh water fish species and reptiles. Mammal such as wild boar, spotted deer, giant squirrel, barking deer, purple faced leaf monkey, mongoose and porcupine are found here. There are more than 200 bird species found in here. Among them fifteen of them are endemic to Sri Lanka such as Jungle fowl, Yellow-fronted barbet, small barbet, Sri Lanka white-eye, black headed bulbul, Yellow eared bulbul, dusk blue flycatcher, brown capped babbler, Sri Lankan grackle, Sri Lankan Lorikeet, Sri Lankan warbler, White faced starling, Spot Wing thrush, Sri Lankan blue magpie and Layard’s parakeet. Fresh water fish species like blotched Filamented Barb ( Puntius Srilankensis), Moutain Labeo (Labeo Fisherri), Maetenstyn’s Barb (Puntius Martenstinis) are some of the 29 endemic freshwater fish in Sri Lanka. The Moutain Labeo fish is only found in a stream originating from Knuckles range. Among the lizard species Pigmy Lizard (Cophotis ceylonica) , Kangaroo Lizard (Otocryptus Wiegmanni) and Crestless Lizard (Calotes Leocephalus) are some of the endemic lizard species found here. The leaf nose lizard (Ceretophora Tennennti) is only found in this forest.
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