Sinharaja Forest Reserve

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

🦜 Sri Lanka's Best Ceylon Hanging-Parrot Haven

🌍 #106 Global · 4.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #14 in Asia #50 in Tropical Forest

Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka 712 spp. recorded

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a dense tropical rainforest located in the southwestern wet zone of Sri Lanka. Towering dipterocarp trees, tangled vines, and damp leaf litter create a humid, multi-layered jungle canopy where muddy footpaths wind through thick vegetation. This ancient wilderness differs from dry-zone parks through its sheer density of endemic plant life and perpetual moisture, making it a crucial sanctuary for moisture-loving reptiles and amphibians.

6.442° N 80.364° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Ceylon Pit Viper

Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus

80–90% · Very likely

Wiegmann's Agama

Otocryptis wiegmanni

80–90% · Very likely

Common Hourglass Tree Frog

Polypedates cruciger

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Green Forest Lizard

Calotes calotes

80–90% · Very likely

Square-tailed Bulbul

Hypsipetes ganeesa

70–80% · Very likely

Ceylon Hanging-Parrot

Loriculus beryllinus

70–80% · Very likely

Green Vine Snake

Ahaetulla nasuta

70–80% · Very likely

Hump Snout Lizard

Lyriocephalus scutatus

70–80% · Very likely

Yellow-fronted Barbet

Psilopogon flavifrons

70–80% · Very likely

Orange-billed Babbler

Turdoides rufescens

60–70% · Likely

Pearl-necked Dove

Spilopelia chinensis

60–70% · Likely

Sri Lanka Drongo

Dicrurus lophorinus

60–70% · Likely

White-bellied Drongo

Dicrurus caerulescens

60–70% · Likely

Asian Emerald Dove

Chalcophaps indica

60–70% · Likely

Orange Minivet

Pericrocotus flammeus

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Purple-faced Lutung

Semnopithecus vetulus

50–60% · Likely

Indian Palm Squirrel

Funambulus palmarum

40–50% · Likely

Layard's Palm Squirrel

Funambulus layardi

40–50% · Likely

Toque Macaque

Macaca sinica

30–40% · Possible

Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel

Ratufa macroura

30–40% · Possible

Ruddy Mongoose

Herpestes smithii

20–30% · Possible

Nilgiri Palm Squirrel

Funambulus sublineatus

20–30% · Possible

Herpestes edwardsi

Herpestes edwardsi

Insufficient data

Red Slender Loris

Loris tardigradus

10–20% · With luck

Stripe-necked Mongoose

Herpestes vitticollis

Insufficient data

Schneider's roundleaf bat

Hipposideros speoris

Insufficient data

Lesser false vampire bat

Megaderma spasma

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Square-tailed Bulbul

Hypsipetes ganeesa

70–80% · Very likely

Ceylon Hanging-Parrot

Loriculus beryllinus

70–80% · Very likely

Yellow-fronted Barbet

Psilopogon flavifrons

70–80% · Very likely

Orange-billed Babbler

Turdoides rufescens

60–70% · Likely

Pearl-necked Dove

Spilopelia chinensis

60–70% · Likely

Sri Lanka Drongo

Dicrurus lophorinus

60–70% · Likely

White-bellied Drongo

Dicrurus caerulescens

60–70% · Likely

Asian Emerald Dove

Chalcophaps indica

60–70% · Likely

Orange Minivet

Pericrocotus flammeus

60–70% · Likely

Black-capped Bulbul

Pycnonotus melanicterus

50–60% · Likely

Ceylon Magpie

Urocissa ornata

50–60% · Likely

Pale-billed Flowerpecker

Dicaeum erythrorhynchos

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Ceylon Pit Viper

Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus

80–90% · Very likely

Wiegmann's Agama

Otocryptis wiegmanni

80–90% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Green Forest Lizard

Calotes calotes

80–90% · Very likely

Green Vine Snake

Ahaetulla nasuta

70–80% · Very likely

Hump Snout Lizard

Lyriocephalus scutatus

70–80% · Very likely

Boulenger's Keelback

Fowlea asperrimus

40–50% · Likely

Lowland Hump-nosed Viper

Hypnale zara

40–50% · Likely

Common Water Monitor

Varanus salvator

40–50% · Likely

Stripe-Tailed Bronzeback

Dendrelaphis caudolineolatus

40–50% · Likely

Ceylon Wolf Snake

Lycodon carinatus

30–40% · Possible

Greer's Mabuya

Eutropis greeri

30–40% · Possible

Sri Lanka Agama

Calotes liolepis

30–40% · Possible

Oriental Garden Lizard

Calotes versicolor

30–40% · Possible

Schokar's bronzeback

Dendrelaphis schokari

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Common Hourglass Tree Frog

Polypedates cruciger

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Indian Toad

Duttaphrynus melanostictus

40–50% · Likely

Günther's Golden-backed Frog

Indosylvirana temporalis

30–40% · Possible

Sharp-snouted Shrub Frog

Pseudophilautus cuspis

30–40% · Possible

Sharp-snout Saddled Tree Frog

Taruga longinasus

20–30% · Possible

Common skittering frog

Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis

20–30% · Possible

Indian Five-Fingered Frog

Euphlyctis hexadactylus

20–30% · Possible

Pseudophilautus schneideri

20–30% · Possible

Kelaart's Dwarf Toad

Adenomus kelaartii

20–30% · Possible

Sri Lanka wood frog

Hydrophylax gracilis

20–30% · Possible

Pseudophilautus popularis

20–30% · Possible

Hollow-snouted Shrub Frog

Pseudophilautus cavirostris

20–30% · Possible

Common Indian Cricket Frog

Minervarya agricola

20–30% · Possible

Animal Events

🦎

Ceylon Pit Viper breeding season

JanFebMarAprJulNov

Increased activity of this endemic viper, often spotted basking on foliage or hunting in the understory.

Ceylon Pit Viper

Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus

80–90% · Very likely

🐸

Monsoon amphibian chorus

AugSepOct

Heavy rains trigger explosive breeding of tree frogs and shrub frogs, filling the forest with calls at night.

Common Hourglass Tree Frog

Polypedates cruciger

40–50% · Likely

Sharp-snouted Shrub Frog

Pseudophilautus cuspis

30–40% · Possible

🦎

Endemic reptile foraging trails

JanFebMarAprAugSep

High density of endemic reptiles like agamas and skinks foraging along forest paths and stream edges.

Wiegmann's Agama

Otocryptis wiegmanni

80–90% · Very likely

Greer's Mabuya

Eutropis greeri

30–40% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

Ceylon Pit Viper

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

Wiegmann's Agama

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

Common Hourglass Tree Frog

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

50–60

30–40

10–20

30–40

30–40

Common Green Forest Lizard

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

Square-tailed Bulbul

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

50–60

60–70

40–50

80–90

80–90

Ceylon Hanging-Parrot

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

Green Vine Snake

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

50–60

60–70

60–70

Hump Snout Lizard

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

80–90

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

Yellow-fronted Barbet

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

Orange-billed Babbler

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

Pearl-necked Dove

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

30–40

60–70

70–80

70–80

Sri Lanka Drongo

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

White-bellied Drongo

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

Asian Emerald Dove

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

Animal Events

🦎 Ceylon Pit Viper breeding season

🐸 Monsoon amphibian chorus

🦎 Endemic reptile foraging trails

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent

🦜 Sri Lanka's Best Ceylon Hanging-Parrot Haven

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

408

🐒 Mammals

101

🦎 Reptiles

125

🐸 Amphibians

78

712 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

118 Threatened 3 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

74%

📊

Coverage (222 species at ≥5% of 712 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

31%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (7 bird, 5 reptile)

47% Global avg

65%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

102

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

11

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

39

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