THE GREAT ELEPHANT GATHERING OF ASIA | FFCSL Documentary Films

"THE GREAT ELEPHANT GATHERING OF ASIA”

Annual wildlife spectacle "The Great Elephant Gathering" at the Minneriya National Park is the most sought after wildlife tourism attraction in Sri Lanka and the greatest wildlife spectacle in Asia. It is also the 6th greatest wildlife spectacle in the world.

Asian elephant is an endangered species with less than 50 000 in the wild, mainly due to habitat loss. Being home to over 6000 wild jumbos, Sri Lanka is an unparalleled oasis for these animals. The island boasts of holding the highest density of elephants in the world in a mere 65000 Sq.km.

Each year from the month of April, herds of elephants begin to gather at the Minneriya National Park in north central province of Sri Lanka. Week by week the numbers grow until several hundred can be seen by the months of August/ September creating a unique natural spectacle, the Great Elephant Gathering of Asia.

This documentary film is the first ever of its kind of production and provides a deep insight to the Elephant gathering at the Minneriya National park, unveiling its ecological interaction with water levels of the ancient Minneriya tank built in the 3rd century BC, which is the secret behind the formation of the Great Elephant Gathering of Asia.

It is an attempt to highlight the social structure, social harmony, intelligence, social and biological needs of wild elephants and negative impacts of possible alterations to the sensitive eco region and better awareness of the endangered Asian Elephants.

This documentary film was instrumental in convincing the GOSL (Government of Sri Lanka) to change the water diversion master plan of one of the largest irrigation program to prevent possible negative impacts for the annual elephant gathering at Minneriya/Kaudulla National Parks.

This film won the “Best Animal Behaviour Award” at the 13th Japan Wildlife Film Festival held in Tokyo during 2-3 April 2018, followed by a “Blue Green Era Presidential Award 2019” in recognition of its contribution for the environmental/wildlife conservation in Sri Lanka.

Director/Producer: Dilum Alagiyawanna
Director of Photography: Dilum Alagiyawanna
Editor/Colourist: Tissa Surendra
Soundtrack Composer: Nadika Weligodapola
Writer(s) / Research: Dilum Alagiyawanna & Navoda Alagiyawanna


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