The rich and unique animal and plant life in the Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve is the reason why it was marked as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. Currently, the reserve spans 8864 hectares and the country plans to quadruple the size of the area to respect the ecological significance of the region. The hilly virgin rainforest is a treasure trove of endemic species including mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and of course, an abundance of trees and insects.

Particularly known for bird watching, an interesting phenomenon here is that birds move in mixed feeding flocks, led by the great Racket-tailed Drongo and the noisy Orange-billed Babbler. 20 of the 26 endemic bird species in Sri Lanka are seen at the Sinharaja Rainforest. In addition to bids, more than 60% of the plants are endemic, many of which are rare. The reserve is also home to more than 50% of the country’s endemic mammal, butterfly, reptile, amphibian and insect species.