Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of
mountains and are important habitats for a great deal of wildlife including the
endemic species. When considering about our country, 'The Sri Lanka montane
rain forests’ is an ecoregion found above 1000m in the central highlands of Sri
Lanka. Owing to their rich biodiversity, this region considered a
‘super-hotspot’ within the endemism hotspot of global importance. These forests
are cooler than lowland forests and therefore they have ideal conditions for
growth of cloud forests. The importance is that Montane forests accommodate
more endemic species than the lowland rain forests. Due to the above fact one
of our goals is to pay attention to ensure the conservation of these Montane
forests, so that we could save a huge population of fauna at one effort. The
Montane forests in Sri Lanka include 'Piduruthalagala', 'Kikilimana',
'Meepilimana' , 'Agrabopaththalawa', Adam's Peak and Hakgala forests. These
forests provide habitat for endemic species of mammals, insects, reptiles and
birds. By all these measures of conservation we are able to accomplish the
global goal of conserving the Montane ecosystems to enhance their capacity to
provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development.
Written by Nipuni Abegunawardhana
University of Kelaniya
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