# List of wildlife sanctuaries of Sri Lanka

Sanctuaries are a class of protected areas in Sri Lanka and are administered by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Sanctuaries are governed by the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (No. 2) of 1937 and may be created, amended or abolished by ministerial order. All wildlife in sanctuaries are protected but the habitat is only protected in state-owned land, allowing human activities to continue on privately owned land. Activities prohibited in sanctuaries include hunting, killing or removing any wild animal; destroying eggs/nests of birds and reptiles; disturbing of wild animals; and interfering in the breeding of any animal. Permission is not required to enter sanctuaries. There are currently 61 sanctuaries which together cover an area of 2,780 km$^2$ (1,073 sq mi).

## Sanctuaries

| Sanctuary Name | Location | Established | Area | Area |
| Sanctuary Name | Location | Established | km² | mi² |
| Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland National Sanctuary | North Western Province | 11 June 1997 | 13.97 | 5.39 |
| Anuradhapura National Sanctuary | North Central Province | 27 May 1938 | 35.01 | 13.52 |
| Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary | North Western Province | 3 April 1992 | 306.70 | 118.42 |
| Bellanwila-Attidiya Wetland National Sanctuary | Western Province | 25 July 1990 | 3.72 | 1.44 |
| Budhangala National Sanctuary | Eastern Province | 1 November 1974 | 18.41 | 7.11 |
| Bundala-Wilmanna National Sanctuary | | 30 June 2006 | 33.39 | 12.89 |
| Dahaiyagala National Sanctuary | | 7 June 2002 | 26.85 | 10.37 |
| Elahera-Girithale National Sanctuary | | 13 January 2000 | 140.35 | 54.19 |
| Eluwilayaya National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 11 September 2009 | 1.86 | 0.72 |
| Gal Oya Valley North East | Eastern Province | 12 February 1954 | 124.32 | 48.00 |
| Gal Oya Valley South East National Sanctuary | Eastern Province Uva Province | 12 February 1954 | 152.81 | 59.00 |
| Galway's Land National Sanctuary | Central Province | 27 May 1938 | 0.57 | 0.22 |
| Giant's Tank National Sanctuary | Northern Province | 24 September 1954 | 43.30 | 16.72 |
| Godawaya National Sanctuary | | 25 May 2006 | 2.32 | 0.90 |
| Great Sober Island National Sanctuary | Eastern Province | 21 June 1963 | 0.65 | 0.25 |
| Hikkaduwa Coral Gardens Marine National Sanctuary & National Park | Southern Province | 18 May 1979 | 1.02 | 0.39 |
| Honduwa Island National Sanctuary | | 19 November 1973 | 0.09 | 0.03 |
| Kahalla-Pallekele National Sanctuary | Central Province North Central Province North Western Province | 1 July 1989 | 216.90 | 83.75 |
| Kalametiya Lagoon National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 28 June 1984 | 25.25 | 9.75 |
| Katagamuwa National Sanctuary | Southern Province Uva Province | 27 May 1938 | 10.04 | 3.87 |
| Kataragama National Sanctuary | Southern Province Uva Province | 27 May 1938 | 8.38 | 3.23 |
| Kayankerni Marine Sanctuary | Eastern Province | 11 April 2019 | 9.53 | 3.68 |
| Kimbulwana Oya National Sanctuary | North Western Province | 21 June 1963 | 4.92 | 1.90 |
| Kiralakela National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 8 September 2003 | 3.10 | 1.20 |
| Kirama National Sanctuary | | 6 October 2004 | 0.05 | 0.02 |
| Kokkilai National Sanctuary | Eastern Province Northern Province | 18 May 1951 | 19.95 | 7.70 |
| Kudumbigala-Panama National Sanctuary | Eastern Province | 20 February 2006 | 65.34 | 25.23 |
| Kurulu Kele (Kegalle) National Sanctuary | Sabaragamuwa Province | 14 March 1941 | 1.13 | 0.44 |
| Little Sober Island National Sanctuary | Eastern Province | 21 June 1963 | 0.07 | 0.03 |
| Madampawila Lagoon National Sanctuary | | 21 September 2007 | 12.18 | 4.70 |
| Maduganga Ramsar Wetland National Sanctuary | | 17 July 2006 | 23.00 | 8.88 |
| Madunagala National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 30 June 1993 | 9.95 | 3.84 |
| Maembulkanda-Nittabuwa National Sanctuary | | 31 October 1972 | 0.24 | 0.09 |
| Mahakanadarawa Wewa National Sanctuary | North Central Province | 9 December 1966 | 5.19 | 2.01 |
| Medinduwa National Sanctuary | | 6 June 1980 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Mihintale National Heritage Sanctuary | North Central Province | 27 May 1938 | 10.00 | 3.86 |
| Muthurajawela Block I National Sanctuary | Western Province | 31 October 1996 | 10.29 | 3.97 |
| Muthurajawela Block II National Sanctuary | Western Province | 31 October 1996 | 2.57 | 0.99 |
| Nimalawa National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 18 February 1993 | 10.66 | 4.12 |
| Padaviya Tank National Sanctuary | North Central Province | 21 June 1963 | 64.75 | 25.00 |
| Rathgama Lagoon National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 17 August 1988 | 1.90 | 0.73 |
| Peak Wilderness | Central Province Sabaragamuwa Province | 25 October 1940 | 223.79 | 86.41 |
| Polonnaruwa National Sanctuary | North Central Province | 27 May 1938 | 15.22 | 5.87 |
| Ravana Falls National Sanctuary | Uva Province | 18 May 1979 | 19.32 | 7.46 |
| Rekawa National Sanctuary | | 25 May 2006 | 2.71 | 1.05 |
| Hikkaduwa - Ambalangoda Rocky Islets National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 25 October 1940 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Rumassala National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 3 January 2003 | 1.71 | 0.66 |
| Sakamam National Sanctuary | | 21 June 1963 | 6.16 | 2.38 |
| Senanayake Samudra National Sanctuary | Eastern Province Uva Province | 12 February 1954 | 93.24 | 36.00 |
| Seruwila-Allai National Sanctuary | Eastern Province | 9 October 1970 | 155.40 | 60.00 |
| Sigiriya National Sanctuary | Central Province North Central Province | 26 January 1990 | 50.99 | 19.69 |
| Sri Jayawardenapura National Sanctuary | Western Province | 9 January 1985 | 4.49 | 1.73 |
| Tabbowa National Sanctuary | North Western Province | 19 July 2002 | 21.93 | 8.47 |
| Tangamale National Sanctuary | Uva Province | 27 May 1938 | 1.32 | 0.51 |
| Telwatta Lagoon National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 25 February 1938 | 14.25 | 5.50 |
| Trincomalee Naval Headworks National Sanctuary | Eastern Province North Central Province | 21 June 1963 | 181.30 | 70.00 |
| Udawatta Kele | Central Province | 29 July 1938 | 1.04 | 0.40 |
| Vankalai Sanctuary | Northern Province | 8 September 2008 | 48.39 | 18.68 |
| Vavunikulam National Sanctuary | Northern Province | 21 June 1963 | 48.56 | 18.75 |
| Victoria-Randenigala-Rantambe National Sanctuary | Central Province Uva Province | 30 January 1987 | 420.87 | 162.50 |
| Wirawila-Tissa National Sanctuary | Southern Province | 27 May 1938 | 41.64 | 16.08 |
| Welhella-Kategilla National Sanctuary | Sabaragamuwa Province | 18 February 1949 | 1.34 | 0.52 |
| Wilpattu North National Sanctuary | Northern Province North Western Province | 25 February 1938 | 6.32 | 2.44 |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,779.54 | 1,073.19 |