Gal Oya National Park in Tamil Eelam was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. Senanayake Samudraya was built under the Gal Oya development project by damming the Gal Oya at Inginiyagala in 1950. An important feature of the Gal Oya National Park is its elephant herd that can be seen throughout the year. Three important herbs of the Ayurveda medicine, triphala: Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica and Emblica officinalis are amongst the notable flora of the forest. From 1954 to 1965 the park was administrated by the Gal Oya Development Board until the Department of Wildlife Conservation took over administration. The national park is situated 314 km (195 mi) from Colombo. Elevation of the park varies from 30 m to about 900 m. Danigala, Nilgala, and Ulpotha are the mountains of the park. Rain is received during the North-eastern monsoon with average annual rainfall of 1,700 millimetres (66.93 in). The area is now under control by the Sri Lankan government after the conflict ended in 2009 District : Eastern Province Ampara Location : Tamil Eelam About: A crocodile glided by and there, out of the trees, elephants ambled down to the water’s edge to take a bath. There are as many as 4,000 elephants on the island, about 1,000 leopards and more than 400 species of birds The fly-past of exotic birds is a delight, a sparrow and thrush. Here, eagles glare, herons forage and storks strut. Dirt track and a great swirl of butterflies welcomes the weary traveller back to nature.