"Uda Walawe" now in UK
'Share the magical aura of Sri Lanka'- Director of UK Zoo
A Sri Lankan elephant habitat and walkway, named "Uda
Walawe", with a distinctly Sri Lankan theme was opened in Twycross Zoo,
situated in Leicestershire, UK.
Twycross Zoo, which attracts half a million visitors
each year, will be the first in the world with a Sri Lankan themed
elephant habitat. "Uda Walawe" will promote the conservation of the
Asian elephants and act as a shop window for crucial wildlife
conservation programmes in Sri Lanka.
"It is our ambition to encourage visits to the
wildlife areas of Sri Lanka and to share with our visitors the magical
aura of Sri Lanka. It is our desire to create a little piece of Sri
Lanka in the UK and an opportunity for visitors to learn about and also
visit Sri Lanka to see how beautiful this country is," said Suzanne
Boardman, Director of Twycross Zoo.
We are delighted that our visitors will be able to
experience a taste of Sri Lanka, as well as learn about the cultural and
historical aspects of this wonderful country, including the important
role that the domesticated elephant has had on the country, she said.
"Our aim is for this exhibit to forge strong links
between the UK and Sri Lanka, particularly with regard to tourism. The
opening of this new exhibit will help promote the need to conserve this
important species globally and highlight the importance of elephants in
Sri Lanka," she added.
The entrance to Uda Walawe in UK is a typical
authentic farmer's tree hut. Inside the hut are information panels on
the distribution of elephants in Sri Lanka and Asia. Beyond this is a
meandering forest trail which guides people to a Sri Lankan village
school.
The school has a range of religious, cultural and
elephant artifacts. Colourful information boards are prominent that
highlight Sri Lankan wildlife and tourism. Large screen film footage
will be playing showing elephants on festival parade from Sri Lanka.
When you leave the village school the forest trail
then continues to a wooden bridge over a water lily pool, which allows
close quarter views of the five elephants, four female adults and a male
infant.
The inner habitat is identical to Uda Walawe National
Park in Sri Lanka, with a large lake, trees, rocks and sandy areas.
The trail will then lead you over a small wooden
bridge and gentle stream. You will now enter a dry grass land habitat
which is unique to Uda Walawe National Park. At this point there is a
path choice, aimed at children. Adventurers can explore a small area
where there is interactive information about elephants. The main trail
leads to a typical Sri Lankan village hut. The hut allows visitors to
see how Sri Lankan villagers live close to the wild elephants. The trail
continues past the village crop of corn and sunflowers and will
eventually lead through a wetland to the entrance of the Mary Brancker
Waterways.
Courtesy : Policy Research & Information Unit of the
Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka | 
