King Maha Sen and the Minneriya Elephant Gathering ecosystem
3 Answers from travellers
It is an incredible piece of ancient engineering feeding modern ecology. King Maha Sen built the tank in the 3rd Century AD. During the dry season August to September, the receding waters of this massive man made lake expose nutrient rich grass shoots. This ancient agricultural reservoir is the sole reason up to 300 elephants can survive the dry season in one place.
The locals actually deified King Maha Sen because of this tank. He is still worshipped today as Minneriya Deviyo or the God of Minneriya for providing water that sustains both agriculture and wildlife.
Without that specific tank design allowing slow water release for rice paddies, the grass would not sprout at the exact time the elephant herds need it. It is a perfect symbiotic relationship between history and nature.
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