Somawathiya Chaitiya National Park

Somawathiya National Park affords protection to a unique habitat i.e. riverine villus and flood plains, as well as to the largest concentration of elephants in the country, together with the adjacent Flood Plains National Park. Although the area has been heavily exploited, regeneration will be rapid once human activity is phased out because of the abundance of moisture and high carrying capacity of the villus. Both parks are also extremely important for migration and resident waterfowls.
Location
The park spans between East Province and North-central Province in the deltoid plain of the Mahaweli river.
Access
Visitors has to turn off at Polonnaruwa Hospital junction on the Polonnaruwa Habarana road and proceed via Sungavila up to Somawathiya Chaitiya National Park. The distance from Colombo to Somawathiya Chaitiya via Polonnaruwa is 262Km.
Physical Features
The 37,762ha National Park is contiguous with Flood Plains National Park to the south, and to Tirikonamadu Nature Reserve (25,019ha). The western arm of the national Park provides a link with Hurulu Forest reserve, part of which is protected as biosphere reserve.
Date and History of Establishment
Declared a National Park on 2nd September 1986, having been previously designated  a sanctuary on 9th August 1966, and extended through addition of Block II on 12th May 1987.
Vegetation
The water filled basins in the central flood pleopardlains are characterized by the abundance and predominance of water-tolerant grasses and aquatic plants. The distribution of vegetation in the villus shows a characteristic pattern, which is related to the period of inundation and the depth of flooding. On the margins, where wet conditions are brief and the depth of flooding slight, and creeping grasses.
Fauna
The ecological importance of Somawathiya is due mainly to the abundance of elephants Elephas maximus estiimated at about 400 within the park and its immediate environs and rich bird life. Noteworthy mammals include jackal Canis aureus, fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus, rusty-spotted cat Felis rubiginosa, leopard Panthera pardus kotiya, wild boar Sus scrofa, sambur Cervus unicolor, water buffalo Bubalus bubalis, porcupine Hystrix indica, and black-napped hare Lepus nigricollis.
Typically the marshes of the flood plains have an interesting and abundant avifauna. Around 75 migrant species are known to winter in the marshes.
Visitors and Visitor Facilities
Available in Polonnaruwa, Giritale and Minneriya.