Ritigala Natural Reserve

Ritigala is one of the few high-altitude forests on the island. It covers 1,528.1 hectares and was designated a Strict Natural Reserve in 1941. It is in the island’s dry zone. The preservation of such an ecosystem is of the utmost significance because it is home to species that are uncommon and possibly extinct in the region, and because its isolation provides ideal conditions for the evolution of species.