Minneriya Elephant Gathering
Built in 300AD by King Mahasena, Minneriya Wewa (reservoir) was later included in the unique irrigation network of the dry zone of ancient Sri Lanka. Minneriya, together with her rich catchment area and precious wildlife associated, was declared as a National Park in 1997. This protected area, which is situated in Polonnaruwa District and expands over 8890ha, is managed by the state department of Wildlife Conservation. The park is about 180km away from the capital city, Colombo.
Minneriya supports almost all the vegetation types of the Sri Lankan dry zone. Starting from wetlands and grasslands through rock outcrops and scrublands, the diversity of vegetation spreads up to secondary forests and dry-evergreen forests. Bamboo thickets found in certain areas of the park are a feature of its green cover. Bird life is inviting in Minneriya, particularly around wetlands. The bird checklist exceeds 150 species. Asian elephant is the feature creature of the park; it who takes part in the world’s biggest gathering of the species that takes place in the grasslands of Minneriya Wewa

 Elephants of the north-central Sri Lanka move between protected areas in the region throughout the year searching for food, water and social relationships. Such movements are intense in the drier months: July-October being the peak. Lush green of the seasonal grasslands of Minneriya Wewa attracts elephants in family groups from distance during the dry season. Such a megaherd usually consists of 200-300 individuals. The phenomena could also be observed at Kawudulla Wewa and Hurulu Wewa nearby, which are found inside two other protected areas, Kawudulla National Park and Hurulu Forest Reserve respectively.
Minneriya elephant gathering is a world famous tourist attraction. Afternoons and early evenings are the best to observe elephant behaviour in the grasslands. The most interesting behaviours include playing, drinking and bathing at Wewa, mock-fighting and juvenile care. Details of the characteristic elephant grazing habit such as kicking and scraping grass, cleaning (de-sanding) of scraped grass, preparing bite-size grass balls and sometimes throwing scraped grass on the back to get rid of biting flies can easily be identified by patiently watching the gathered elephants,. Calves are always amused in the presence of the herons – herons follow the elephants for easy prey as while grazing, they disturb insects hidden among grass.
Taking a safari tour to watch elephants in Minneriya National Park should be a responsible act since incidents of elephants getting disturbed and agitated by the visitors are becoming frequent. A disturbed elephant, specially a female with a new born calf, can be challenging to the vehicles and visitors. Thus, we list the following Dos and Don’ts as visitor information for a better and memorable elephant safari in Minneriya.
Dos

1. Learn and obey the rules and regulations of the national park
2. Make sure your safari vehicle is in good running condition
3. Follow the instructions given by the accompanying wildlife guard / safari guide
4. Stay inside the vehicle throughout the safari
5. Leave space (20-25 m min) between the vehicle and elephants before stopping
6. Learn something from the safari trip about elephant ecology and conservation
7. Appreciate  the accompanying staff  only if they complete the elephant watching safari responsibly 

Don'ts

1. Don't use alcohol or drugs
2. Don't overload the jeep – 10 tourists is manageable
3. Don't encourage speeding – 25km/hr is the recommended speed
4. No off-road driving!
5. Don't drive into elephant herds and don't block their movements
6. Never raise the engine when the elephants are around
7. Don't shout or scream while watching elephants – silence is rewarding!
8. No tipping for close-up shots of elephants
9. Never encourage the accompanying staff to rush between locations inside the park