UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Horton Plains is one of the three properties of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka inscribed in the listing of ‘World Heritage Sites. The decision of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was based on an extraordinary range of flora and fauna including several endangered species found in the Horton Plains.

The region is considered a super biodiversity hotspot. It is also a popular tourist destination and is situated 32 km (20 miles) from Nuwara Eliya. The environment offers some excellent hikes and treks in an amazing environment, characterized by forest patches, grasslands and some high-altitude vegetation. The most exciting and stunning feature is World’s End, where the plateau comes to a sudden end and drops almost straight for 880m. 

Spreading over 3,169 hectares of land, Horton Plains plateau at an altitude of 2100-2300 m is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. The area which was originally known as Mahaeliya was renamed Horton Plains in honour of Sir Robert Wilmot Horton, the British Governor of Ceylon (1831 – 1837). This was declared as a national park in 1988. The second & third highest mountains of the country namely Kirigalpotta (2389 m) & Thotupola (2357 m) are found within the borders of the park. 

Horton Plains which is characterized by a beautiful landscape of rolling hills forms a unique ecosystem where one can see the montane forest, wet patina grasslands and marshes. It receives rainfall from both northeast & southwest monsoons as well as inter-monsoonal rains. It is the catchment area for the main rivers of Mahaweli, Walawe and Kelani. 

Flora 

The diversity of flora in Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka is impressive from grasses to ferns, shrubs and large flowering trees. The wet and windy weather conditions have resulted in the development of an even, low canopy forest, with low branched, twisted and stunted trees with dense undergrowth. The forests occupy the upper slopes and hill crests, while the wet patana grasslands cover the lower slopes and valleys. 

The vegetation of the park is classified into two distinctive groups, of wet patana (montane grasslands) and subtropical montane evergreen forests. The main canopy trees of the montane forest are the umbrella-shaped and white-blossomed Keena (Callophylum), Wal Kurudu (Cinnamomum ovalifolium) and Polkatugaha (Actinodaphene aclerophyllum). The Rhododendron zelanicum (Maha Ratmal) commonly found in the plain brings a sparkling beauty with its red flowers. Park is also famous for beautiful flowers of endemic Nellu (Strobilanthes sp.), Bovitiya (Osbeckia sp.), Binara (Exacum trinervium) and many other orchid species. Binara is also known as Ginihiriya in locally has a variety of colours varying from shades of white, dark blue to hues of purple. The grasslands of the Horton Plains dominated by the plant species of Chrysopogon zeylanicum and Garnotia mutica. The edges of the rivers are dominated by the endemic dwarf Bamboo (Arundinaria densifolia). 

Fauna

Before the British colonial era, Horton Plains was one of the best elephant habitats in the country. During the British colonial period, Horton Plains was a paradise for sports hunters and poachers. Thus the elephant population has vanished in the first half of the 20th century. Horton Plains is a home for several endangered species of western-purple-faced langur (shaggy bear-monkey), the Horton Plains slender loris and the Sri Lankan leopard. One of the rarest primates in the world, the Horton Plains slender loris that has been so elusive for more than 60 years was rediscovered and photographed recently by the team of researchers. Zoological Society of London has now confirmed the rediscovery of this endangered species and emphasized the importance of the conservation and restoration of the remaining montane forest where this species still exists.

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