One of the ‘Wildlife Wonders of the World’, The Great Elephant Gathering of Minneriya National Park, is at risk due to human interference.

Historically The Gathering has been the only place in Asia, where over 400 elephants could be seen congregating in the same place annually however, elephant numbers have been noticeably declining since 2018. In August 2021, during the peak of The Gathering season, only 67 elephants were sighted.

Why are the elephants no longer gathering in Minneriya? 
Since 2018, Minneriya reservoir is being used to store water from Moragahakanda reservoir, to channel water to other downstream reservoirs, for agricultural purposes. Due to this human interference, the water level of Minneriya reservoir is no longer receding during the dry season, to allow fresh grasses to emerge on the lakebed. These fresh grasslands have been the very foundation of The Gathering, as the elephants gather in large numbers to feed on them, which provides them essential sustenance during the dry season. 

Manipulation of the Minneriya reservoir’s water level, takes away critical food sources for wild elephants in the area during the dry season, which  will invariably increase human-elephant conflict in the area, resulting in both social and economic costs. It will also risk The Gathering, which is a leading tourist attraction in Sri Lanka for both locals and international travelers. According to a recent study, the economic value of The Gathering was estimated to be well over LKR 4 billion (UDS 22 million) in 2018. Entire communities depend on the income generated through this natural phenomenon; it is the mainstay of over 1,400 safari jeep drivers who operate in Minneriya & Kaudulla National Parks. (To read the full details pertaining to this issue, please click here)

The steady decline of elephant numbers in Minneriya National Park, due to actions of the irrigation authorities, will very quickly destroy all tourism benefits with dire consequences for the local and national economies. In order for The Gathering to continue, water levels of Minneriya must not be manipulated during the dry season.

We urge Sri Lanka’s Irrigation experts to unite to develop a more sustainable method of channeling water to the East, which does not jeopardize this Wildlife Spectacle of international significance, and along with it, the tourism and community benefits that amount to billions of rupees each year.

Please sign this petition to support The Gathering so it can continue for generations to come, to sustain the Sri Lankan economy and provide livelihoods for locals, while providing an essential food source for elephants, an Endangered Species in Sri Lanka.