Ambuluwawa: Biodiversity hotspot under threat

Institute of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka study urges immediate actions against habitat fragmentation and rapidly spreading invasive alien species

- BY SHANIKA SRIYANANDA

THE Ambuluwawa is popular locally and internationally as Sri Lanka's first multi-religious sanctuary, which is an ecologically important terrain with wet, intermediate, and dry climatic zones.

The Ambuluwawa provides a framework for balancing conservation, cultural, and recreational objectives while accommodating agriculture and community needs. Lands spanning 207 hectares are classified into distinct management zones based on their ecological significance, land use potential and cultural or recreational functions. The zoning plan has some areas with high biodiversity value and limited visitor access, others are heavily modified landscapes designed to support tourism, religious practices, or agricultural production.

But this ecologically vital piece of land with its unique flora and fauna is under extreme threat from human pressures due to habitat fragmentation and rapidly spreading invasive alien species.

This was revealed by a latest study – Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Assessment Report (2025) launched by the Institute of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka (IEPSL) in Colombo.

As a part of its conservation initiatives, the IEPSL carried out the assessment of the Ambuluwawa supported by Ansell Lanka Ltd., under its global CSR program.

The primary objectives of the study are to systematically document the diversity of flora and fauna within the ABC with special emphasis on endemic, threatened, and ecologically significant species; classify, map, and characterise habitats and microhabitats while evaluating ecological connectivity and degradation.

In addition, the study seeks to evaluate the ecosystem services provided by the site, including water regulation, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and cultural and religious values, thereby highlighting its benefits to local communities and national development.