You have long dreamed of going to a paradise island in the Indian Ocean, imagined how you would bask on a snow-white beach to the sound of waves, and, finally, after reviewing all the tours to Sri Lanka, you found exactly the one you need. And here, having searched for information about the country in various forums, you will find out that the fauna of Sri Lanka is not only majestic elephants and unhurried turtles. It turns out that dangerous and poisonous animals of Sri Lanka lie in wait for you at every step and strive to spoil your vacation. But is it? Are there snakes in Sri Lanka? Is it really possible to meet crocodiles, sharks, poisonous spiders, scorpions and malarial mosquitoes there? Let’s try to figure out which animals and insects you should beware of and how to avoid unpleasant consequences from meeting them.
snakesSri Lanka has. From harmless and non-poisonous species like the green whipworm, which is a tropical analogue of our snake, to the dangerous Russell’s viper, sandy epha and cobra. But the chances of meeting them during daylight hours and even in the resort area are very low. As a rule, reptiles prefer to stay in a more familiar territory: in the jungle, forests. Therefore, when going on excursions inland or to national parks, wear tight sneakers and trousers and carefully look under your feet. After sunset, when walking around the hotel, try not to leave the illuminated area, avoid fallen tree trunks, stones and stumps, do not walk barefoot, and, again, watch where you step. What to do if you meet a snake? There are several basic recommendations: the main thing is not to make sudden movements, freeze and slowly begin to step back without turning your back to the snake. As a rule, the snake is not more happy about a sudden meeting than you, so it may try to scare you, but it is unlikely to attack. So, usually Russell’s viper at the moment of danger does not rush at a person, but curls up in a ring and hisses loudly.
There are also crocodiles in Sri Lanka . For example, peacefully lying representatives of the marsh crocodile can be seen near the reservoirs in the national parks of Yala and Bundala. You can take pictures of them from afar under the supervision of the park rangers. Other crocodiles of Sri Lanka live in reservoirs of fairly remote areas of the island. So it is unlikely that you will see these reptiles, unless you go inland to meet them.
Sharks are also found in Sri Lanka. For example, a nurse shark, which looks more like a catfish and is quite harmless to humans. There is also a reef shark here – its small height (about 130 cm) helps it swim very fast and appear suddenly, catching the diver by surprise. But these sharks are generally quite harmless, only the smell of blood can provoke an attack if you, for example, hunt with a harpoon. In addition, reef sharks are rare and swim far from the coast. In addition to sharks, in the waters of the ocean near Sri Lanka, you can find a stingray that swims away at the sight of a person.
Leeches in Sri Lanka are more unpleasant than dangerous. They do not tolerate malaria, but the wounds after their bites do not heal for a long time. Leeches mainly live in places with high humidity, in bushes and thickets, most often in the depths of the island. They are especially active during the rainy season. When going for a walk or excursion away from the resort area, put on thick socks and tuck your trousers into them, or cover them with jeans tied with an elastic band. Leeches can climb very cleverly on the body, so check the neck and arms often. If the leech has stuck, do not try to tear it off yourself, it is better to burn it with a lighter, and it will fall off by itself.
Mosquito or malarial mosquito in Sri Lanka is perhaps the most common phobia of tourists on the island. And in vain. In many regions of the island there are no mosquitoes at all, and in those resort places where they are still found, there are not so many mosquitoes, certainly not more than in our latitudes. Sri Lanka is not officially a hotbed of malaria and during a normal tourist visit to the country it is enough to use a repellent in the form of ointments or aerosols, in addition, almost every hotel, even the most modest one, has mosquito nets over the beds, and many hotels provide in-room fumigator with regular replenishment of plates.
Geckos , monitor lizards and other lizards of Sri Lanka are safe for humans and will most likely just try to hide when they see you.
In addition, there are a lot of monkeys on the island, but they are not aggressive, although they behave frivolously and fearlessly. You need to be very careful with them, because, having come up for food, they can cleverly disappear from view along with your bag, camera or other valuables. A little caution doesn’t hurt when dealing with striped palm squirrels, which most tourists mistake for chipmunks: it is better not to feed them with your hands and make sure that they do not get into your bag. In general, they are very cute and friendly animals.
As you can see, following simple safety recommendations in Sri Lanka, you can not worry about your vacation and have a wonderful time on this amazing island-reserve, where a person lives in peace and harmony with nature.
