How many elephants live in Udawalawe National Park?

Udawalawe National Park has a permanent resident group of about 500 to 700 wild Sri Lankan elephants, all year long.

In contrast to other parks where elephants wander long distances depending on seasonal rainfall, the herds in Udawalawe stay around continuously. The main reason is the dependable water supply from the Udawalawe Reservoir. Because of this, the park has a uniquely dense presence, and it is one of those rare locations in the world where a wild elephant sighting is basically assured on every safari drive, even when the time of year changes.