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Geograhpy
Originally, the
villagers called
this region the
“Dumbara Kanduvetiya”
meaning “Misty
mountains”.
The area was named
as ‘Knuckles
‘ by British
Surveyors, due to
a prominent landscape
feature –
a group of five
peaks that resembles
the knuckles of
a clenched fist,
seen from, many
points in the area
east and north-east
of Kandy. The five
peaks, extending
from West to South-east
includes Kirigalpottha
(1642m), Gombaniya
(1900m), Knuckles
(1852m), Koboneelagala
(1544m) and Dotulugala
(1564m), respectively.
From Corbats
gap in
the south, another
ridge enters north
east wards, more
or less parallel
to the Kalupahana
range.
Corbet was the surveyor
who mapped the area
in the second part
of the 19th century.
This ridge is dominated
by Dumbanagala (‘Misty
rock 1642m) and
Galtuna (3 rocks)
it inturn meets
the north west trending
Telambugala (1332m)
Welangala (1181m)
ridge, is the finest
peak of the whole.
There is the Matter-horn
like mountain of
Kehelpathdoruwa
(1530m) the sides
of which are scooped
out as if by ice,
with knife edge
and ridges running
up the sides.
Corbet’s
view is located
between Dotulugala-Kobanilagala
range and Dumbanagala
– Kehelpathdoruwa
range on the eastern
slopes from the
Corbets gap at an
elevation of 3250ft
(985 m)
The Knuckles forest
region is an important
watershed, with
several streams
draining into lower
Mahaweli system
(eg. Hasakala Oya,
Maha Oya, and Heen
Ganga), south-west
into the upper Mahaweli
system, (eg. Huluganga),
and north-west into
the Amban Ganga
system (eg. Teligam
Oya and Kalu Ganga).
The Knuckles catchment
area contributes
to about 30% of
the water in Victoria,
Randenigala and
Rantambe reservoirs
of the river Mahaweli.
The location of
the Knuckles forest
region in the Intermediate
Climatic Zone in
the island has resulted
in a wide range
of rainfall and
temperature in different
parts of the region.
The highland areas
of the Knuckles
forest range is
extremely wet throughout
the year, with an
average annual rainfall
of about 5000mm,
while the lower
eastern slopes are
much drier, with
less than 2500mm.
the area is also
exposed to strong
winds during May
to October which
can reach as high
as 60 mph (90 kmph),
the temperature
in this region is
an average 24 C.
The wide range of
climatic and landscape
features in the
Knuckles region
has resulted in
a variety of natural
vegetation types,
ranging from lowland
semi-evergreen forests
to mountain forests.
These vegetation
types harbour a
rich composition
of animal and plants,
some of which are
unique to Sri Lanka.
Although the hill
ranges remain as
uninhabited wilderness,
traditional human
settlements occur
along the river
valleys. The villagers
are involved in
the cultivation
of paddy in terraced
fields, supplemented
with the chena cultivation.
Commercial plantation
of tea and cardamom
are also located
within the knuckles
forest range.
Patches of plantation
forest, dominated
by Pinus, are located
in areas bordering
the Knuckles region.
The biological and
hydrological value
of the Knuckles
forest region was
recognized more
than a century ago,
when the areas above
1500m in the Knuckles
range was declared
as a climatic reserve
in 1873. Since then,
the area has received
legal conservation
status under the
Forest Ordinance,
administered by
the Forest Department
of Sri Lanka. In
1987, the Ministry
of Lands, Irrigation
and Mahaweli Development
and the Forest Department
initiated a project
to enhance the conservation
of Knuckles forest
region, with technical
assistance from
IUCN – The
World Conservation
Union. This project
was intended to
demarcate the boundaries
of the Knuckles
protected area,
and identify critical
management issues
that are relevant
for planning the
sustainable management
of Knuckles forest
region. Upon the
successful completion
of this project,
the Knuckles forest
was declared as
a Conservation Forest
(an extent of 17,500
ha) by the Government
in April 2000. Subsequently,
the whole area was
declared as a
National Man and
Biosphere Reserve.
The Knuckles forest
reserve has also
been nominated for
declaration as an
International
Man and Biosphere
Reserve
and a Natural
World Heritage Site.
Location
and relief of the
Knuckles Massif>>
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