Minneriya National Park

The heart of this national park is an uninhabited area with perhaps the widest diverse natural system to be found anywhere on the island with intermediate forest, bamboo stands, patinas and talawas. Within this single protected areand still intact, in spite of increasingly intensive farming to satisfy the appetite and demands of an expanding population lays a haven for a variety of species of wildlife. Twenty four species of mammals have been recorded within the park, including sambar, spotted deer, leopard and perhaps the most important the magnificent elephant the population of which stands at over two hundred. There is an impressive bird population within the boundaries of the park which includes pelicans, cormorant and stork. However, surprisingly the area also contains a number of amphibians that enjoy an exclusive diet of fresh fish such as the water monitor, mugger crocodile and the endangered red lipped lizard.