the viewing deck: Sri Lanka last part; Colombo City's Dehiwala Zoo

4-days quick solo trip in the island countries of Indian Ocean

February 25 to March 01, 2014

Sri Lanka 2nd part; Sigiriya, the Lion Rock Fortress

From Sigiriya park, I rode a tuktuk at negotiated 500lkr bound to Sigiriya junction where a waiting shed can be found bound to Colombo. I aboarded the bus 1730h and arrived in Colombo Fort at 2000h. Then, I hired a tuktuk to help me out look for cheapest hostel for a night. Initial plan was the cultural triangle tour where upon arrival I will start my adventure to Anuradhapura then Sigiriya and Dambulla. Due to the enormous travel time to Main Airport and very shaky bus ride, I decided to change itinerary in an instant. Colombo Zoo is famous for its huge tree covers and well-landscaped gardening. To provide more natural habitats some lawns of the zoo have been converted in to small forest patches which are rich in rare plants. Valuable medicinal plants are prominent among the trees in these forest patches. The zoo comprises of around 350 species of animals belong to the groups of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, butterflies and marine invertebrates, approximately 3,500 in numbers. Because of the free living colony of birds and breeding fish, the number varies from hundreds.

How to go to Dehiwala Zoo;

From downtown, ride bus#176, travel time of around an hour due to traffic and fare of 20lkr. Entrance fee costs 2,500 for foreigners, and can stroll around 1.5 to 2 hrs.

Colombo City's Dehiwala Zoo (rhinoceros)

Colombo City's Dehiwala Zoo (bengal tiger)

Colombo City's Dehiwala Zoo (tiger)

Colombo City's Dehiwala Zoo (buffalo)

Colombo City's Dehiwala Zoo (crocodile)

John Hargenberg, who initially started the Dehiwala Zoo belongs to a family engaged in animal circuses. He collected and kept animals in this premises for trade. At the beginning the total area of the collection center was only 5 acres. Subsequently the center was taken by the government in 1936. The extent of the zoo land increased gradually from 5 acres to present states of 22 acres. There are also animal performance and joy rides that includes elephant show every 1630H daily and sea lion show every 1600H daily.

National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka (also called Colombo Zoo or Dehiwala Zoo) is a zoological garden in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, founded in 1936. Its sprawling areas are host to a variety of animals and birds. The zoo exhibits animals but also places an emphasis on animal conservation and welfare, and education. Visions for the zoo include, "To create one of the world’s outstanding zoological institutions, that is a centre of the excellence for conservation, research and education" and mission is "Resourceful conservation of animals by means of a learning, achieved through the exhibition of species which were adopted with loving care". The zoo has 3000 animals and 350 species as of 2005.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Zoological_Gardens_of_Sri_Lanka