Loris at the Popham Arboretum

Sam Popham’s Arboretum is Sri Lanka’s only dry zone arboretum where trees and wildlife can be observed in their natural settings. Sam Popham created the arboretum in 1963 and donated it in 1989 to the Institute of Fundamental Studies (IFS) Kandy. The present research office used to be Sam’s residence back in the day and it was designed by renown Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa who was a good friend of Sam. The house was designed in the form of a ship, as Sam was a sailor. Together with your field guide we will explore the arboretum in the dark of night, with our red light headbands. Keep an eye out for slender loris which are endemic to Sri Lanka and India. There is a thrill to spotting one as they are rare but your field guide will help you in find them. The arboretum consists of rich dry zone and sub montane vegetation and is home to diverse bird life.