About Minneriya National Park

The Minneriya National Park is all about elephants. Gigantic man made reservoir attracted wild elephants for it's water and grass fields during the dry season, they gather in numbers from 150 to as high as 700 this makes Largest elephant gathering in the world. You can witness this remarkable one and only event During the dry season, from July to October when the sun is setting down these magnificent creatures begin to emerge from every direction that have come from all over the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. Afternoon safari is best in terms of watching these giant, drink water from Minneriya reservoir, play and snack on lush vegetation, and even mating. Once you enter the park, it's giving you an instant impression that the most abundant animal in the park is majestic elephant !

Park is situated in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1938 mainly to protect Minneriya tank and the wildlife of the surrounding area. Not to mention the park's prominent geographical attraction, man-made Minneriya tank, comes with a historical importance, it was built by King Mahasen in the third century AD, reservoirs hold 20 billion gallons of water. The primary sources of Minneriya reservoir' water comes from a diversion of Elahera canal and Amban River. Minneriya park is home for 70 Important Bird Areas. Park is mostly famous for it's elephant congregation also known as ‘Elephant Gathering’. During the dry season Large numbers elephants attracted to the Minneriya National Park from all around surrounding areas including Wasgamuwa national park, mostly because Minneriya reservoir. Park is well capable of sustaining a large number of elephants and other wild lifes, providing water, food and shelter during dry season.

Physical features

Park lies in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, average rainfall varies from 1,500 millimetres to 2,000 millimetres, the lowest temperature recorded in the park is 20.6 °C and the highest is 34.5 °C. Park Consist with several types of vegetation, including grasslands, low-canopy Montane forests, wetlands, intermediate high-canopy secondary forests, scrublands, abandoned Chena lands, and rocky outcrops. the rainy season comes from northeastern monsoon from October to January. Dry season last till September of May.

Flora

Vitex altissima, Diospyros quaesita, swietenia, Berrya, Drypetes sepiaria and cordifolia are dominant plant species in Minneriya. There are few plant species planted by Department of Forest Conservation especially on previously used chena cultivations areas, eucalyptus and teak among them, there are also crotons, Randia dumetorum and Calotropis gigantea can find among them. Grass species can be found are Ceylon date palm (Phoenix pusilla), Bambusa bambos, Panicum maximum and Imperata cylindrica.

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