Giant's Tank Sanctuary

Giant's Tank Sanctuary
கட்டுக்கரை குளம் சரணாலயம்
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Map showing the location of Giant's Tank Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Giant's Tank Sanctuary
Giant's Tank Sanctuary
Location within Northern Province
LocationNorthern Province
Nearest cityMannar
Coordinates08°51′30″N 80°03′45″E / 8.85833°N 80.06250°E / 8.85833; 80.06250
Area43 km2 (17 sq mi)
Established24 September 1954 (1954-09-24)
AdministratorDepartment of Wildlife Conservation

Giant's Tank Sanctuary (Tamil: கட்டுக்கரை குளம் சரணாலயம் Kaṭṭukkarai Kuḷam Caraṇālayam) is a wildlife sanctuary in northern Sri Lanka, approximately 20 km (12 mi) south east of Mannar.

History

Giant's Tank and its surrounding area was designated as a sanctuary on 24 September 1954 under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (No. 2) of 1937.[1][2] It had an area of 3,941 ha (9,738 acres) in 1990.[1] It currently has an area of 4,330 ha (10,700 acres).[2]

Giant's Tank Sanctuary has been subject to illegal deforestation to make way for banana plantation for the Dole Food Company.[3][4]

Flora and fauna

Giant's Tank is surrounded by rice paddies and dry scrub forest.[1] Numerous varieties of water and wader birds are found in the sanctuary including the Eurasian wigeon, garganey, knob-billed duck and pygmy goose.[1] Fish found in the tank include channa striata, heteropneustes fossilis, labeo dussumieri, Mozambique tilapia, olive barb, ompok bimaculatus and long-snouted barb.[1] Asian elephants are also found in the sanctuary.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Green, Michael J. B. (1990). IUCN Directory of South Asian Protected Areas. International Union for Conservation of Nature. pp. 210-211. ISBN 2-8317-0030-2.
  2. ^ a b "Sanctuaries". Department of Wildlife Conservation.
  3. ^ Hettiarachchi, Kumudini; Jeewandara, Shaveen (9 October 2011). "Intimate balance needed between conservation, development:Eminent conservationist". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
  4. ^ Krishnaswamy, P. (13 November 2011). "Giant's Tank jungle - clearing vital". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.