Bangamukande Estate, Sri Lanka

Welcome to our second Safe Harbor site sponsored by Wonder Earth Partners, LLC. BangamuKande is a 40-acre site located near Pitigala in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the island nation just south of India. The capital city Colombo is 60 miles away.

BangamuKande is perched on a hillside, close to 1000 feet above sea level. The temperatures in this rainforest average around the upper 70 degrees F (28C) with annual rainfall between 10 to 20 inches (25-50cm). Five small streams on the property feed into a larger stream, the Arambe Dola, which is a branch tributary of the Bentota River. A beautiful 40 foot waterfall graces the landscape.

The land originally was a rubber plantation, but is now in the process of becoming timberland. Cinnamon spice and tea also grow on the site. But the most appealing feature is the diversity of animal life. The bedrock pools ion the streams contain many varieties of aquatic life, with prawns, eels, frogs and snails joining many species of fish. Some of the local villagers partake of these tasty morsels, as do cats, snakes, birds and other wildlife.

One of the special birds of the region is the ullama, the "Devil Bird". The ullama is a rare nocturnal bird, that makes its presence known by emitting a very high pitched "shrill hoot" - this sound can be heard far and wide. It has been speculated that the ullama is the hooded fishing eagle, but these eagles in captivity have never made this shrill call. Native hunters have tried at random to shoot the ullama while making the call, but without success. The sequence of calls comes from a very tall bushy tree, first around dusk, then again around midnight, finally between 3-4 in the morning. Ullama call in pairs from two spots, chatting for about 5 minutes and the calling is made only about 4 or 5 times per year. Older folk and children avoid outdoors after the birdcalls, because in native folklore, the birdcall is associated with a horrible death, hence the name "Devil Bird".

The villagers have made a rough count of about 200 bird species. Many nest on this land during the breeding season. There are also five varieties of bats, with a few bat caves in close proximity to the homes on the property.

Insects are plentiful, honeybees, killer bees, and several types of wasps, butterflies, rare camouflaged insects, many types of ants, even tarantulas and scorpions. Varieties of snakes include pythons, vipers, and cobras, including the rare albino cobra. Although the wildlife is considered dangerous, deaths due to snakebites and insect stings are rare, thanks to highly effective indigenous native medicinal techniques.

While there are few large mammals on the site, smaller animals can be found in abundance. Cats are readily apparent, including three species of tree dwelling polecats. Leopards live in green trees and other wildcats abound. They share habitat with mid-sized mammals including two types of monkeys, rock and flying squirrels, wild boars, porcupines, and scaly anteaters. Small animals like rabbits, mouse deer, mongoose and rodents also inhabit the estate.

As far as flora is concerned, there is much bio-diversity. Ferns, ground and tree orchids, rock dwelling plants, vines, mushrooms and an uncountable array of hardwood and softwood trees are found here. Many of these plants have medicinal value. This site is well worth the designation as a Safe Harbor, and with a long list of species worthy of special attention and protection.

BangamuKande is nestled in an area that already has some environmental protections. Part of the east boundary joins a [protected forest that extends in patches to the Hiniduma Mountain protected range area. The other protected forest close to the es6tate is the Sinharajah Forest, and several rain forests are nearby: Panivel Mukalana, Beraliya Mukalana, Kannaliya Mukalana, Kalugala Mukalana. (Mukalana means big forest in Sinhalese.) There are also numerous small forests on top of mountains, in between these sizeable forests. The distances between BangamuKande Estate and these big reserves is approximately 8 to 20 miles as the crow flies, much longer to travel with a vehicle.

The future may bring an attempt to join these fragmented forests into a continuous wildlife corridor. The Wonder Earth Partners are exploring a visit to this incredible Eco-region. Contact us concerning interest in such a trip.