Uda Walwe National Park, Sri Lanka is the best place in Asia to see herds of Asian Elephants, the pachyderms in the wild. Uda Walawe National Park, that retains their leaves even during the dry season, is one of Sri Lanka's Dry-Zone Dry Evergreen Forests that harbours one of Asia'a largest & most viable Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) populations. The 30,821ha park was set up in the year 1972 to protect the catchment area of the man-made Rainwater Reservoir located at the south end of the River Walwe. At the same time the reserve was designated to provide sanctuary to wild elephants.