The four stamps depicted in the picture was issued on 4th January 2006. Stamp designers went to Willpattu national Park in 2004 during the brief reopen in 2003 which was closed for security reasons since 1988. If you are visiting Sri Lanka with FantAsia Tours, we will arrange a wildlife safari in Wilpattu National Park with the stamp designer who did these stamps. He will share his experience during the visit in 2004 for stamp designing purposes and try to spot the exact locations depicted on stamps.

Wilpattu National Park is the largest national park in Sri Lanka with an acreage of 131,693 hectares and ranges from the coast to areas that are up to 150 meters above mean sea level. The park is located 30km west of Anuradhapura in the North Central part of the country. With its dense jungle cover and shallow lakes, Wilpattu is an existing park where animals have to be tracked rather than spotted.

These ‘willus’ or lakes are host to several species of migratory and residential birds including large colonies of the painted stork and open billed stork. Other wetland bird species including Garganey, Pin Tail, Whistling Teal, Spoonbill, White Ibis, Large White Egret, Cattle Egret and Purple Heron are also found at the Wilpattu National Park.

There are up to 31 species of mammals found in the park including elephants, sloth bears, leopards, deers, wild boars and water buffalos. The park is also home to many forms of reptiles from the common Monitor lizard to the Mugger crocodile, Common Cobra, Rat snake, Indian python, Pond turtle and the Soft-shelled turtle resident in the large permanent ‘willus’. Star tortoises are also found roaming the grasslands and many baby tortoises are picked by visitors and raised as pets.

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Itineraries with a wildlife safari in Wilpattu:

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https://www.fantasiatours.com/viewDetailedItinerary/45

https://www.fantasiatours.com/viewDetailedItinerary/53