Location: North Central Province Map
Area: 8,889 ha
Minneriya National Park is located in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. Minneriya National Park covers an area of 8,889 ha. Open grasslands of this park is a favorite tourist destination for safari. Numerous elephants, several species of monkeys, leopards, sloth bears and many other endemic animals stroll through without fear of humans and their cars.
Minneriya National Park is located in the arid region of Sri Lanka. Average rainfall is 1,500-2,000 mm. Temperature ranges from 20.6 °C to 34.5 °C. The northeast monsoon occurs from October to January and the dry season from May to September.
Plants commonly found in Minneriya National Park such as Terminalia arjuna, Manilkara hexandra, Neem (Azadirachta indica), Arayal (Ficus religiosa) and Bauhinia racemosa are found in the vicinity of Minneriya tank. Plants such as Chloroxylon swietenia, Myla (Vitex altissima, Drypetes sepiaria) etc. are also found here. Minneriya National Park also has monocot grasses.
Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot (Loriculus beryllinus), Sri
Lankan Gray Hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis), Sri Lankan Wildfowl (Gallus
lafayettii), Brown Capped Babbler (Pellorneum fuscocapillus), Black
Crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus flaviventris) roam freely in Minneriya
National Park. 11 endangered birds have been confirmed here. More than
2000 flocks of Lesser Crows (Phalacrocorax niger) can also be seen here.
There are 24 species of mammals, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species
of reptiles, 26 species of fish and 75 species of butterflies. Two
endangered monkeys, the Toku macaque (Macaca sinica) and the
purple-faced langur (Trachypithecus vetulus) are also protected in the
park. Herbivorous mammals such as Sri Lankan sambar deer (Rusa unicolor
unicolor) and Sri Lankan axis deer (Axis axis ceylonensis) are also
found in the park. The endangered Sri Lankan tiger and Sri Lankan sloth
bear can be found in the Minnerian forest. The loris (Loris
lyddekerianus) has been recorded in Minnerian areas.
Minneriya National Park is located at a distance of 182 km from Colombo. The main tourist attraction in this national park is the beautiful scenery of elephant herds.
One of the main threats to the park forest is the clearing of plants for firewood, and the process can result in the lowering of water levels in the reservoir. Bathing water pollution, encroachment of bathing areas, illegal agricultural practices, fishing, poaching, gem mining are other man-made threats. Invasive spread of Lantana camara (stink) is a natural threat. Part of the Minneriya-Giritale Nature Reserve which was declared in four phases. Conservative measures including habitat restoration and removal of livestock from the area have been suggested.