Montane rain forests in Sri Lanka

These rain forests are found at elevations above 1200 m in the montane wet zone is called as cloud forests since they are mostly covered by the mist. These forests are found in the mountain tops, such as Pidurutalagala, Kikilimana, Meepilimana, Agrabopaththalawa, Adam's Peak and Hakgala. Montane moist forests vegetation is dominated by Dipterocarpus while montane savanna and cloud forests with Rhododendron. Rhododendron arboreum subsp. zeylanicum is a famous endemic flowering tree. Canopies of Shorea-Calophyllum-Syzygium community can be seen in submontane forests. The Understory of the higher elevation is dominated by Strobilanthes. This has grown as an invasive species covering a part of Horton Plains towards Kirigalpotta. The Peak Wilderness of all montane rain forests is considered as the only forest area dominated by endemic Stemonoporus of Dipterocarpaceae family. Rhododendron species thrive in the wet montane grasslands such as Horton Plains known as wet pathanas in Sinhalese. Asian Elephant is now locally extinct due to hunting by British during the colonization. Knuckles Range's vegetation differ from the rest of the central highlands because of the geographical detachment, is having a Myristica-Cullenia-Aglaia-Litsea community.

There are thirteen near-endemic and strict endemic mammals associates with the ecoregion. Small mammals in Sri Lanka show a great degree of diversity, such as rodents, shrews and bats. Of these mammals 70 percent are smaller than a small cat. This area is an atypical habitat to the largest carnivore of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Leopard. The leopard has categorized as threatened. Another five rodents listed endangered.

Threats

Deforestation for plantation agriculture

Pesticide application

Forest dieback

Low land rain forests

Dry zone evergreen forests and other vegetations