Minneriya National Park is a national park in
North Central Province of
Sri Lanka. The area was designated as a national park on 12
August 1997, having been originally declared as a
wildlife sanctuary in 1938. The reason for declaring the area as protected is to protect the catchment of
Minneriya tank and the wildlife of the surrounding area. The tank is of historical importance, having been built by
King Mahasen in third century AD. The park is a dry season feeding ground for the
elephant population dwelling in forests of
Matale,
Polonnaruwa, and
Trincomalee district. The park earned revenue of Rs. 10.7 million in the six months ending in August 2009. Along with
Kaudulla and Girithale, Minneriya forms one of the 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of Sri Lanka. The park is situated 182 kilometres (113 mi) from
Colombo.