Gathering Of Elephants At Minneriya And Kaudula National Parks

Minneriya National Park

During August and September each year in Sri Lanka, one of the most awesome wildlife spectacles in the world, gathers pace. Over three hundred wild Asian Elephants converge for 'The Gathering'. The largest concentration of Asian Elephants on the planet, a seasonal gathering, takes place at Minneriya National Park in the Cultural Triangle of the island.

As the waters of the gigantic, man-made, Minneriya Lake dries out, the receding waters expose square kilometer upon square kilometer of lake bed, which turns into a lush grassland, with a residual lake in the middle. Literally hundreds of elephants from the surrounding jungles are attracted to the food and water and the security of the scrub jungles bordering the lake.

The elephants, sometimes numbering over an awe inspiring three hundred, converge onto the receding shores of Minneriya Lake. Nowhere else in the world will one find such a large number of wild Asian Elephants concentrated into a few square kilometers.

The gathering at Minneriya is a wonderful opportunity for wildlife enthusiasts and casual travellers to observe the social dynamics of elephants. Watching baby elephants playing with each other, bull elephants tussling for dominance and the great matriarchs surveying the scene is not a sight you are likely to forget in a hurry!

Minneriya National Park

Minneriya is an ancient man made lake constructed in the 3rd century AD by a king of Sri Lanka. Many centuries ago, these lowlands were farmed for agriculture by an ancient civilization whose mastery of hydraulics was remarkably sophisticated. Today, the ancient reservoir fills during the north-east monsoon and gradually shrinks as the dry season sets in. As the waters recede, lush grassland sprouts attracting elephants in search of food from far away jungles. The lake always retains some water and is surrounded by scrub jungle, which provides shade during the heat of the day.

As evening falls, the elephants emerge from the scrub, in small herds of tens, coalescing into larger herds, sometimes numbering over a hundred. The gathering is one of the most unforgettable and fantastic events in the international wildlife calendar.

Kaudulla National Park

The local wildlife rangers and jeep operators will know whether the herds are gathered at Minneriya National Park or whether the nearby Kaudulla Lake National Park offers better viewing at a particular time. Kaudulla is a less visited park with beautiful landscapes, and a lovely road that takes you there along an irrigation channel.

When Should I Visit?

The gathering starts in mid-July and peaks during the months of August and September.

Why Is It Called 'The Gathering'?

Because it is a seasonal movement of elephants and not quite a migration in the sense of what biologists mean by a migration.

How Should I Visit?

Exclusive, Private Jeep Safaris with a driver and Wildlife Department tracker are organised by Elephant Island from all hotels at Dambulla.

 

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