An Accidental Sanctuary
Located 35 kilometers north of Yangon, Hlawga National Park exists because of the city's need for water. The park's core is Zokanabe Lake, a reservoir whose capacity was increased by an extension dam built between 1921 and 1924. This was part of a larger system to reinforce Hlawga Lake, which has been a water source for Yangon since 1904. The primary function of the reservoir was to secure the water supply for a growing city, but in doing so, it also protected the surrounding watershed.
This protection was formalized in 1982 when the 1540-acre area was established as Hlawga National Park. The park's creation, a joint project between the Burmese government and the UNDP, was intended to preserve the forests and vegetation important for the Hlawga Lake catchment area. The park is composed of an 818-acre wildlife park, a 62-acre mini-zoo, and a 660-acre buffer zone. The forest within the park is a mix of semi-evergreen, mixed deciduous, and swamp forest types, which support many different species.