Bundala National Park is an internationally important wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka harboring 197 species of birds. It was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary on 5th December 1969, and was upgraded to a National Park on 4th January 1993 with a land area of 6,216 hectares. The park was re-gazetted in 2004 and the original park was reduced to 3,698 hectares. In 1991, Bundala became the first site in Sri Lanka to be designated a Ramsar Wetland. In 2005, Bundala was declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. In January 2006, an area adjacent to Bundala covering an area of 3,339.38 hectares was declared as the Wilmenna Sanctuary.
The Bundala National Park has been identified as an outstanding important bird area in the South Indian and Sri Lankan wetlands. 324 species of vertebrates have been recorded in the national park, which include 32 species of fish, 15 species of amphibians, 48 species of reptiles, 197 species of birds and 32 species of mammals. 52 species of butterflies are among the invertebrates. The wetland habitats in Bundala harbors about 100 species of water birds, half of them being migrant birds. Of the 197 avifaunal species 58 are migratory species.
A few Asian elephants still inhabit the forests of Bundala. Other mammals seen in the park are toque macaque, common langur, jackal, leopard, fishing cat, rusty-spotted cat, mongoose, wild boar, mouse deer, Indian muntjac, spotted deer, sambar, black-naped hare, Indian pangolin and porcupine.
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