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Glossary/Wildlife

What is Endemic Species?

A plant or animal species that is native to a single defined geographic location. Sri Lanka has an exceptionally high rate of endemism. Wilpattu is home to several endemic species including the Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya), Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus), and Sri Lankan junglefowl (Gallus lafayettii), the national bird.

Explore more Wilpattu safari terms in our full glossary.

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