Nestled in the eastern edge of Sri Lanka’s Uva province, Nilgala stands out as a landscape of remarkable ecological and cultural importance. Long overlooked in mainstream conservation efforts despite its significance, Nilgala finally received due recognition on June 2 when it was declared a forest reserve covering its full extent of 40,685 hectares (100,543 acres). Located within Sri Lanka’s intermediate climatic zone, Nilgala is primarily covered by dry mixed evergreen forest. However, what truly distinguishes the area is its savanna landscape of open grasslands dotted with trees, which is a rare habitat type in Sri Lanka.

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