Rainforests
Rainforests are incredible places which cover only 6% of the surface area of the Earth, however more than half of the world’s plant and animal species lives in them. The reason they are called rainforests is because they receive a high amount of rainfall annually. Consisting of tall, dense jungle, the climate inside a rainforest is hot and humid. At one time in Sri Lanka rainforests consisted of over 26% of the land area, however today only 2% is left of forest cover. Hence it is no surprise that all rainforests in the island have been declared protected areas with Sinharaja designated as a World Heritage site. The title of World Heritage Site is granted by UNESCO and it means that the area has been listed as a place of special significance to the common heritage of humanity. It is therefore in the interest of mankind to preserve and protect such sites.The rainforests of Sri Lanka are treasure troves of biodiversity and beauty. Most of the island’s rainforests are located on the western and southern slopes of the mountains of Sri Lanka and they are well worth a visit. The three most famous rainforests in Sri Lanka are Peak Wilderness, 250 km2; Knuckles, 175 km2; and the Sinharaja World Heritage Site, 90 km2. The elusive loris, the majestic elephant and fierce eyed leopards are found within these rainforests.
Hill Stations
Before tea was introduced to the island Pearl fishing was the mainstay of the islands economy. Georges Bizet’s opera The Pearl Fishers, first performed in Paris in 1863 is set in Ceylon.In 1863 Sri Lanka then referred to as Ceylon was famous for Pearls. Tea came later. Before Tea the British tried Coffee. The entrepreneur James Taylor imported the first tea plants from Cathay in 1863. It was in 1863 that the Opera “the Pearl Fishers” by Georges Bizet set in Sri Lanka was first performed in Paris.An “opera seria” was being enacted in the hill country of the British colony. The central hills were then being cleared for tea plantations. Despite the rapacious advance of colonial commercial exploitation, the largest and the least disturbed remaining areas of the montane rain forests of Sri Lanka are a treasure trove of nature. It is regarded as a global super hot spot for conservation.
