Minneriya-Giritale National Park
This area was declared as a sanctuary in 1938 and upgraded to a nationalpark in 1997. The park is 8,885 hectares in extent and the core of thepark holds one of the country's most diverse ecosystems comprisingintermediate forests, savannahs etc. The tank supports a wide varietyof waterfowls. The vegetation consists of dry mixed evergreen forests,abandoned chena cultivation lands, grasslands and wetlands. The park isfamous for elephants that can be sighted gathering on the dried exposedlake shore during the dry season.
How to get there:- Colombo - Warakapola - turn to left on toKurunegala Road - Kurunegala - Dambulla - Habarana - turn right to the Polonnaruwa Road - about 20 km to park entrance.
BIRDS: Openbill Stork, Painted Stork, White-Necked Stork, Great StonePlover, Lesser Sand Plover, Crested Serpent & Crested Hawk Eagles,White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater, Grey-Headed Fish Eagle,Golden Plover, Spoonbill, White Ibis, Stork-Billed Kingfisher, WhiteRumpedShama
