Horton Plains Horton Plains is situated in the highlands of the Central Province, 32 km from Nuwara Eliya. This is the highest plateau in the country. It is at a height of about 2300 mters. This was discovered by Sir Robert Horton. The park which is 3160 hectares was declared a national park in 1988. The average temperature of Horton plains is 15°c- 22°c with frequently occurring mists and clouds. Horton plains is fed from both the north- east monsoons as well as intermonsoonal rains. I gets about 5000 mm rain fall annually. Horton Plains is the most important catchment area of the country. Three major rivers of the country start from this area, namely: Kelani, Walawe and the Mahaweli. Due to the high altitude the area is cold. The park consists of forests and grasslands with a rich biodiversity. It is home to a wide variety of endemic fauna and flora. Among the 24 species of mammals, elk, deer, wild boar, otter, porcupine and leopard are considered special. The bird diversity is also high with 87 species of birds including migratory birds. The park is also famous for beautiful flowers. Nellu, bovitiya, binra and some orchid species are endemic. Horton plains also feature many interesting attraction such as the Baker’s fall, Chimmini pool and famous ‘World’s end’. The World’s end is a sheer drop of 3700 feet that offers a fabulous view all the way out to the distant southern coastline. We must take necessary steps to protect this treasure for the future generations. |
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