Muthurajawela Wetlands

The Muthurajawela Wetland is an urban biodiversity hotspot that provides refuge to over 209 faunal species including 17 endemics and 26 species that are nationally threatened. It is a part of an integrated coastal wetland system that consists of the marsh itdrlg and the Negombo Lagoon, which are spread across a total area of about 6,200 hectares. Situated in close proximity to the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, the wetland is an ideal place to witness both the beauty and the benefits of a wetland eco system. In addition to its biodiversity properties, the large extent of mangrove and other vegetation makes the wetland an ideal carbon sink that aids in climate cooling. The importance of the wetland has been recognized both nationally and in a global scale with an area of 1,777 hectares in the north of Muthurajawela been declared as a wetland sanctuary while it has also been named as a ‘protected wetland of the world’. It is also recognized as one of the 12 priority wetlands in Sri Lanka.