Udawalawe National Park is a wildlife sanctuary in southern Sri Lanka, established in 1972, that is famous for its large and easily observable population of Asian elephants. Created to protect displaced animals from the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir, the park features open plains, grasslands, and forests, with the reservoir serving as a central water source that attracts a large number of elephants year-round. In addition to elephants, visitors can see animals like water buffalos, deer, and leopards, as well as rich birdlife, and can visit the Elephant Transit Home for orphaned elephants.