Biology & Conservation Records
Peak Wilderness Protected Area (PWPA) complex provides opportunities to observe many flora and fauna such as Birds, Fishes, mammals, butterflies, dragonflies and reptiles including endemics and threatened species, some are restricted to this area of the island.
Bird watching
Peak Wilderness Protected Area (PWPA) Complex is an important site for birds in Sri Lanka. This protected area complex is home to all 33 endemic bird species in the country. Making it possibly the only place where all endemic species co-exist. A total of 162 bird species have been recorded from the complex which includes 19 migrant species.
The PWPA complex is one of the best places in the country for bird watching as visitors are able to see a range of birds from both the low country to hill country while hiking.
Due to the presence of Lowland wet evergreen forests and Montane evergreen forests, both lowland and highland mixed species foraging birds’ flocks can be seen while hiking.
Mixed species bird foraging flocks are fascinating phenomenon in the animal world. Different species of birds collectively form well organized flocks to search for food. Each species of bird has a certain role in the flock while they are foraging, some staying vigilant for predators while others scratch the soil and leaf litter for prey and switching roles when all are sated. Interestingly, the composition of bird species differs in each climatic zone while Lowland wet evergreen forests shows the highest diversity of birds gathering in mixed species flocks.
Flora watching
Plant diversity in PWPA is high due to the range of ecosystems present. As a result of altitudinal variations, different climate conditions and topographical variations, PWPA contains a large number of ecosystems. Further, most of the plant species which grow in higher elevations cannot be observed at lower elevations and likewise, plants which grow in Lowland Wet Evergreen Forests are not present in high altitudes. Due to all these factors peak wilderness is a hotspot for plants. A total of 747 flowering plant species (Angiosperms) which belong to 128 families and 433 genera were recorded from PWPA of which, 297 species are endemic to Sri Lanka (IUCN 2018).
Other than the flowering plants, flora of Peak Wilderness includes; fern and fern allies, lichens, mosses, liverworts and algae. Trees which grow in the higher elevations of peak wilderness are remarkably covered with lichens and also mosses.
Plants and plant products obtained from PWPA have been used by the local communities which have existed around the forest for many centuries.
