Wildlife
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Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park is a wildlife reserve in North Central Province of Sri Lanka with an expansive basin of water at its center, the Minneriya tank - a man-made lake or ‘weva’ as it’s known in Singhalese, built by an ancient Sri Lankan king by the name of Mahasen, more than 1,700 years ago.
Now famous for being home to one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world, Minneriya found its place in the ‘must-visit’ list of Sri Lanka many years ago.
As the dry season begins to take hold in Sri Lanka’s north central area, elephant herds from the surrounding areas begin a migration which has happened for many centuries.
From June through to October, as the dry season makes the water in the reservoir recede, lush green grass grows in its place, providing the ideal feeding ground for the thirsty elephants travelling for miles in search of drinking water and food.
There is nowhere on earth where you can see such a wonderful spectacle. At the peak of the season you can easily witness herds of up to 300 or more elephants on the banks of Minneriya, enjoying its rich bounty of young green grass and ample water for the elephants to enjoy spraying themselves to cool down and just even as play.
If you are travelling to Sri Lanka between the months of June – November, do not miss this opportunity. The best times to watch the elephants is at dusk and watching the sunset amongst the distant mountains, while hundreds of elephants gather at the shoreline of Minneriya is simply too magical for words.
Kaudulla National Park
Adjacent to the famous Minneriya National Park is its sister park Kaudulla, opened to the public in 2002 it is a beautiful wildlife reserve providing more habitat for the big herds that can be seen in Sri Lanka’s North Central province. Even though it’s now known by different names, Kaudulla & Minneriya are part of the same tropical forest and Kaudulla is the connecting elephant corridor between Minneriya and Wasgomuwa national parks to the south and Somawathiya National Park to the east – all very important elephant habitats. Kaudulla tank or man-made lake which was built by the same king who built the Minneriya tank, is the centre piece of the park and as with Minneriya it draws large herds of elephants to its shores during the dry season.
Apart from the large herds of elephants, Kaudulla National Park is home to many other species of wildlife including Wild Boar, Spotted Deer, Sambar and even Leopard and Sloth bear as well as over 150 species of birds.
The best times to visit the park are from around September to December
Eco Park
Hurulu Eco Park is another part of the same forest complex which belongs to Minneriya & Kaudulla. The elephants who come to Minneriya & Kaudulla migrate towards Eco Park when these two tanks get flooded. It is usually possible to see small herds of 10 – 30 elephants at Hurulu Eco Park.
Declared a biosphere reserve in 1977 the forest reserve is an important habitat for the local pachyderms and researchers and a great place for visitors to view big herds of elephants outside of the usual ‘Gathering’ months.
The best times to visit the park are from around December to May.
Popham’s Arboretum
A labour of love created by Sam Popham out of an abandoned chena-land in 1963, Popham’s Arboretum is now an almost 30-acre man-made forest located in Dambulla and a safe haven for many species of tropical flora and fauna. It is an important sanctuary and a fantastic achievement in returning wasteland to nature, conserving the unique biological diversity of the ‘dry zone’ of Sri Lanka.
The winding pathways amongst the big shady trees make for an enchanting walk for nature and wildlife lovers. Home to many magnificent species such as the Jungle Fowl, Flame back Woodpecker, Black headed Orioles, Paradise Flycatcher, sun birds, tailor birds as well as mammalian species such as the rare Mouse Deer, Wild Boar, Porcupine, Black Naped Hare, Giant Squirrels, and the very elusive and endemic Slender Loris.
It is the perfect way to spend the day if you are in the area and want to take in the beauty of nature and if you make time for the ‘Night Walk’ you can try your luck at seeing the very rare and elusive Slender Loris of Sri Lanka.
You can visit Sam Popham’s Arboretum at any time of the year
