The Hurulu Biosphere Reserve is a protected area in Sri Lanka covering approximately 62,680 hectares of tropical dry evergreen forest and was designated as a biosphere reserve in 1977. Located at 8.22465° latitude and 80.8236° longitude, the reserve experiences a dry monsoon climate with an average annual rainfall of 1,600 mm and a mean temperature of 27.3°C. Its vegetation is dominated by species such as setinwood (Chloroxylon swietenia), Palu (Manilkara hexandra), and ebony (Diospyros ebenum), while it provides habitat for several endangered animals including the Asian elephant, leopard, Ceylon junglefowl, rusty-spotted cat, and star tortoise (Testudo elegans). Although the surrounding population is estimated at 14,660, the reserve has limited accessibility and formal biosphere-related activities due to past civil unrest, with local communities traditionally using forest areas mainly for shifting cultivation.