Walking miles through hard jungle paths, their bare feet crack and peel as they peddle their meagre wares at a nearby pola. But their livelihood and the Sinharaja Forest, which sheltered them all these years, now a World Heritage Site for its unique bio-diversity, is under severe threat today, in the hands of short sighted 'greedy' businessmen and bureaucrats. The Sinharaja Forest, the only evergreen rain forest in Sri Lanka which belongs to few remaining virgin forests in the world, is home to hundreds of indigenous flora and many kinds of birds, beasts and reptiles. Sinharaja forest is the home for many indigenous fauna and flora. Scientists were recently able to find 'Lindasea repens', 'Techtaria thwaitesii' and 'Glycosmis cyanocarpa'- plants, which were reported to be extinct from the forest.
Most plants are endemic.
The forest is also home to the mouse deer, barking deer, otter, fishing cat, giant squirrel, black monkey and leopard. Unfortunately, this unspoilt unique forest has become the latest victim of 'eco-friendly' projects aimed at luring more tourists to the country. Environmentalists, nature lovers and villagers protest against any kind of 'development' projects that come in guise to 'protect and conserve' the virgin forest. But their protests and grievances are never heard by the relevant authorities and today exploitation goes on at a rapid rate. The Sinharaja forest reserve is offered protection through National Environment Act, Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.