Sanctuaries (Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාවේ අභයභූමි) are a category of protected areas in Sri Lanka, administered by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. They ensure the protection of wildlife outside state land and therefore, sanctuaries may also include private lands. Good human activities are allowed in sanctuaries. However, activities such as hunting, shooting, killing, wounding, or taking a wild animal or taking or destroying any eggs of any birds or reptiles or any nest of any bird, damage to breeding places of animals are prohibited. Also, it is forbidden to fall, collect, damage, or remove any plant, construct any building, road, or path, clear, cultivate, mine, fill, or dispose of garbage on any state land. It is not necessary to obtain a permit to enter a sanctuary.
List of sanctuaries in Sri Lanka
| No. | Protected Area | Date of declaration | Extent (ha.) |
| 1 | Anawilundawa | 11.06.1997 | 1397.0 |
| 2 | Anuradhapura | 27.05.1938 | 3500.5 |
| 3 | Bellanwila-Attidiya | 25.07.1990 | 372.0 |
| 4 | Buddhangala | 01.11.1974 | 1841.3 |
| 5 | Chundikulam | 25.02.1938 | 11149.1 |
| 6 | Dahaiyagala | 07.06.2002 | 2685.07 |
| 7 | Elahera Giritale | 13.01.2000 | 14035.2 |
| 8 | Elluwila Yaya | 11.09.2003 | 186.0 |
| 9 | Galoya North Eastern | 12.02.1954 | 12432.0 |
| 10 | Galoya South East | 12.02.1954 | 15281.0 |
| 11 | Galway's Land | 27.05.1938 | 56.6 |
| 12 | Godawaya | 25.05.2006 | 232.0 |
| 13 | Honduwa Island | 19.11.1973 | 8.5 |
| 14 | Horagolla | 05.10.1973 | 13.3 |
| 15 | Kahala Pallekele | 01.07.1989 | 21690.0 |
| 16 | Kalamatiya | 28.06.1984 | 2525.2 |
| 17 | Katagamuwa | 27.05.1938 | 1003.6 |
| 18 | Kataragama | 27.05.1938 | 837.7 |
| 19 | Kimbulvana Oya | 21.06.1963 | 492.1 |
| 20 | Kiralakele | 08.09.2003 | 310.0 |
| 21 | Kirama Oya | 06.10.2004 | 5.0 |
| 22 | Kokilai | 18.05.1951 | 1995.0 |
| 23 | Kudasobara (Little Sober Island) | 21.06.1963 | 6.5 |
| 24 | Kudumbigala, Panama | 20.02.2006 | 6534.0 |
| 25 | Kurulu Kele, Kegalle | 14.03.1941 | 113.3 |
| 26 | Lokusobara (Great Sober Island) | 21.06.1963 | 64.7 |
| 27 | Madampawila | 21.09.2007 | 1217.75 |
| 28 | Madin Duwa | 06.06.1980 | 0.8 |
| 29 | Madu Road | 28.06.1968 | 26677.0 |
| 30 | Maduganga | 17.07.2006 | 2300.0 |
| 31 | Madunagala | 30.06.1993 | 995.2 |
| 32 | Mahakanadarawa Wewa | 09.12.1966 | 519.33 |
| 33 | Maimbulkanda, Nittambuwa | 31.10.1972 | 23.5 |
| 34 | Mihintale | 27.05.1938 | 999.6 |
| 35 | Minneriya Giritale | 29.07.1938 | 6693.5 |
| 36 | Muthurajawela I | 31.10.1996 | 1028.6 |
| 37 | Muthurajawela II | 31.10.1996 | 256.8 |
| 38 | Nimalawa | 18.02.1993 | 1065.8 |
| 39 | Padaviya Wewa | 21.06.1963 | 6475.0 |
| 40 | Paraputuwa Meheni | 17.08.1988 | 189.6 |
| 41 | Peak Wilderness | 25.10.1940 | 22379.1 |
| 42 | Pigeon Island | 18.05.1973 | 97.1 |
| 43 | Polonnaruwa | 27.05.1938 | 1521.6 |
| 44 | Rawana Ella | 18.05.1979 | 1932.0 |
| 45 | Rekawa | 25.05.2006 | 271.0 |
| 46 | Rock Islets, Ambalangoda | 25.10.1940 | 1.2 |
| 47 | Rumassala | 03.01.2003 | 170.7 |
| 48 | Sagamam | 21.06.1963 | 616.4 |
| 49 | Senanayaka Samudraya | 12.02.1954 | 9324.0 |
| 50 | Seruwila Allei | 09.10.1970 | 15540.0 |
| 51 | Sigiriya | 26.01.1990 | 5099.0 |
| 52 | Sri Jayawardanapura | 09.01.1985 | 449.2 |
| 53 | Tabbowa | 19.07.2002 | 2193.31 |
| 54 | Tangamalai | 27.05.1938 | 131.5 |
| 55 | Telwatte | 25.02.1938 | 1424.5 |
| 56 | Trincomalee Naval Base | 21.06.1963 | 18130.0 |
| 57 | Udawattakele | 29.07.1938 | 1041.2 |
| 58 | Vankellei | 08.09.2008 | 4839.0 |
| 59 | Vavunikulam | 21.06.1963 | 4856.2 |
| 60 | Victoria Randenigala Rantembe | 30.01.1987 | 42087.3 |
| 61 | Weerawila-Tissa | 27.05.1938 | 4164.2 |
| 62 | Welhilla Katagilla | 18.02.1949 | 134.3 |
| 63 | Welipara (Bar Reef) | 03.04.1992 | 30669.9 |
| 64 | Wilmanna | 30.06.2006 | 3340.0 |
| 65 | Wilpattu North | 25.02.1938 | 632.0 |
| 66 | Yodha Wewa | 24.09.1954 | 4330.1 |
This page was last updated on 17 September 2023