Episode 26 – Horagolla National Park

The crocodile encounter

I served as the Park Warden at Horagolla National Park from 2017 to 2021. Our main duties there included providing amenities for visitors, bringing and caring for orphaned cubs and adults, sending the animals to the Atthidia treatment center if they needed to be kept longer, or releasing them back into the wild, and providing food and water to the animals there. We also engaged in activities like legal matters pertaining to the wildlife department. Due to the fact that Horagolla National Park is the only National Park in Western Province, we frequently received queries regarding specific creatures. We carried out the duties, accordingly.

Horagolla National Park, which is 35 acres in size, was donated to the government by Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. There is a 3-acre lake right at the entrance to the National Park. During the rainy season, water flows to this lake through a small channel. There is water in the lake even in dry seasons. Tortoise and fish species also live in this lake. The turtles we capture are released into this lake.

There was a young crocodile in the park when I arrived. It might have been carried in there by someone. This little crocodile quickly developed into an adult. This crocodile started wandering around the lawn while he was between the ages of 10 and 15 and had grown robust. We thought that he should be released to Wilpattu. But before that suddenly the crocodile disappeared. He had been missing for several days. Crocodiles can be dangerous to people and other animals and it can be harmed by people and vehicles. Therefore, we were therefore really upset.

We searched everywhere. Then a message came from the nearby village that there was a crocodile. There was a water pond near a hotel near Horagollawalavva. I got the message that the crocodile has gone to the pond. It is not easy to catch a crocodile as it swims  here and there and hit with its tail. Those days it was a strike by the Wildlife Guards. I went there with the Field Assistant, Chandrasiri and the Field Assistant Sumit. After about 4 hours of hard work, the crocodile was caught. Heaved a sigh of relief after that. People had gathered to see the event.

We tied the crocodile to a tree and took it to Wilpattu from there. It was morning when I went to Wilpattu. Eluwankulamen went inside and carefully released the crocodile.

Being able to capture the crocodile without causing any harm to anyone was fantastic. I recall the crocodile encounter whenever I think back on my stay in Horagolla.