Pottuvil Lagoon

Pottuvil lagoon is a brackish water coastal lagoon surrounded by sand dunes, salt marshes, mangroves, coconut plantations and home gardens. The lagoon is connected to the sea on its eastern side via a narrow channel. Freshwater input is from rainfall and several small streams, and the lagoon is seasonally tidal.

Puttalam Estuary

The estuary is the second largest in the country and is one of the most productive basin estuaries, being important for its finfish and shellfish fisheries. The shallow wetland is connected with the Mundel lagoon through the Dutch canal and opens out to the Indian Ocean at the northern end through the Dutch bay. The mangroves of the Kalpitiya peninsula border the Puttalam estuary on its western end. A number of islands (e.g. Erumathivu, Battalangunduva, Karativu) near the mouth of the lagoon are temporarily or permanently inhabited by fishermen. This area is very rich in biodiversity, as it contains a range of habitats including mudflats, mangroves, saltpans, salt marshes, sea grass beds and coral reefs.

Ruhuna National Park

Ruhuna National Park (Block I to V) is one of the largest agglomerations of protected areas in Sri Lanka. It comprises of a complex of freshwater and brackish water wetlands including seasonal freshwater ponds, large and small abandoned tanks, waterholes, rivers and seasonal streams, coastal lagoons, estuaries, small patches of mangroves and marshes which are spread out within the park (mainly within Blocks I and II). The area is very rich in biodiversity and important for elephant and water bird conservation and as such is considered an IBA by BirdLife International. At present, the park is the most important destination for nature tourism in the country. Owing to the availability of water, and flat terrain, scrub vegetation and grassland, animals can be seen in large numbers in Block I.