The
Sri Lankan Elephant (
Elephas maximus maximus), originally from
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
, is the nominate
subspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is 1) a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, or 2) a taxonomic unit, a taxon in that rank...
of the
Asian ElephantThe Asian or Asiantic Elephant , sometimes known by the name of one of its subspecies – the Indian Elephant, is one of the three living species of elephant, and the only living species of the genus Elephas. It is the largest living land animal in Asia...
and is the largest of the subspecies although smaller than the two species of African elephants.
The
elephantElephants are large land mammals in two genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta. Three species of elephant are living today: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant...
population in the National Parks of
Sri LankaSri Lanka , officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka , is an island country in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India...
is somewhat diminutive in stature when compared both with historical accounts dating back to 200 BC and with the early photographs taken in 19th century during the time of colonial British rule of the island.
The
Sri Lankan Elephant (
Elephas maximus maximus), originally from
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
, is the nominate
subspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is 1) a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, or 2) a taxonomic unit, a taxon in that rank...
of the
Asian ElephantThe Asian or Asiantic Elephant , sometimes known by the name of one of its subspecies – the Indian Elephant, is one of the three living species of elephant, and the only living species of the genus Elephas. It is the largest living land animal in Asia...
and is the largest of the subspecies although smaller than the two species of African elephants.
The
elephantElephants are large land mammals in two genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta. Three species of elephant are living today: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant...
population in the National Parks of
Sri LankaSri Lanka , officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka , is an island country in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India...
is somewhat diminutive in stature when compared both with historical accounts dating back to 200 BC and with the early photographs taken in 19th century during the time of colonial British rule of the island. The smaller size could possibly be the end result of a long-continued process of removing the physically best specimens from the potential breeding-stock through hunting or domestication (see
insular dwarfismInsular dwarfism, a form of Phyletic dwarfism, is the process and condition of the reduction in size of large animals – almost always mammals – when their gene pool is limited to a very small environment, primarily islands...
). Since Sri Lanka was at one time a part of peninsular
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
(there is evidence that there existed a land bridge between the northern part of the island and the subcontinent many thousand years ago), it is highly likely that the Asian Elephant, roaming South India at the time, "conquered" Sri Lanka literally on foot.
The Sri Lankan Elephant population is now largely restricted to a few National Parks and Nature Reserves.
Udawalawe National Parkudawalawe park has more than 600 elephants now & can see leapord although rarelyUda Walawe National Park is an important national park in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. The reserve covers 306 km² and was established in 1972 to protect the catchment of the Uda Walawe reservoir...
,
Yala National ParkYala National Park is the 2nd largest national park in Sri Lanka.It is situated in the southeast region of the island in the dry zone. The park is situated about 300 km from Colombo which is capital city of Sri Lanka. Yala park belongs to two provinces in Sri Lanka namely Uva Province and...
,
Wilpattu National ParkWilpattu National Park is a park located on the island of Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of “Willus” - Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. Located in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka...
and Minneriya National Park are prime locations for spotting elephants.
Symbolism
Elephants common in Sinhalese
heraldryHeraldry is the profession, study, or art of devising, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound *harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
for over two thousand years and reminded through during the colonial rule. The
coat of armsA coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, in European tradition, is a design belonging to a particular person and used by them in a wide variety of ways. Historically, they were used by knights to identify them apart from enemy...
and the flag of
Ceylon GovernmentBritish Ceylon refers to the British rule in the island territory known as Sri Lanka since 1798.- From the Dutch to the British :The Batavian government was more popular among the Dutch population than was the prince of Orange...
from 1875 to 1948 included an elephant and even today many institutions use the Sri Lankan Elephant in their coat of arms and
insigniaInsignia is a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
.
An important cultural symbiosis has continued to exist between the elephant and humans for over two thousand years – no
perahara (religious procession) was complete without its retinue of elephants, and many large Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka had their own elephants.
Food and habitat
The Sri Lankan Elephant is an herbivore. It eats grasses, leaves, bark, fallen fruits (such as wood apple) and palm leaves (like coconut leaf). Kitulpalm tree (
Caryota urensCaryota urens is a species of flowering plant in the palm family from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and India where they grow in fields and rain-forest clearings. The epithet urens is Latin for 'stinging' alluding to the chemicals in the fruit. They are commonly called solitary fishtail palm, toddy palm,...
) is a favorite food. Large bulls need nearly 200 kg of food per day.
The historical range of the Sri Lankan Elephant includes all Sri Lankan eco-regions: lowland rainforests, montane forest and the Sri Lankan dry-zone forest. Today the Sri Lankan Elephant is extinct from montane forest and occupies mainly dry-zone forests, although a small population lives in rainforests.
The Sri Lankan Elephant is endangered. Ivory trade in Sri Lanka had a very long history for more than 2000 years. In 1800s and early 1900s many bull elephants were killed by
trophy huntingTrophy hunting is the selective hunting of wild game animals. While parts of the slain animal may be kept as a hunting trophy or memorial , the carcass itself is sometimes used as food....
. Between 1999-end of 2006 every year nearly 100 Wild Elephants were killed. Today few elephants live out side protected areas. Tusk elephants are very rare to see in wild due to heavy poaching. Only 5%-7% of wild elephants have tusks. Very low numbers of elephants live in Peak Wilderness sanctuary. The forest covers about 220 square km of lowland and montane rainforest. This is likely the only wild elephant population that lives in the rainforest. Historically large numbers of elephants lived in the rainforest.
| Year |
Wild Elephant numbers |
| 1800 |
12000-14000 |
| 1900 |
10000-12000 |
| 1920 |
7000-8000 |
| 1970 |
5000 |
| 1999 |
4000 |
| 2003 |
3500 |
| 2004 |
3350 |
| 2006 |
3150 |
| 2007 |
2900-3000 |
Threats
The main threat is the killing of elephants to protect crops and houses. Others are poaching, deforestion, drought and starvation. During drought seasons many elephants damage agricultural land for food. Nearly 80 elephants were killed in north western Sri Lanka, 50 in south and east and another 30 in other parts of the country, totaling 160 elephant deaths in 2006 alone.
Conservation
Many national parks and nature reserves are created to conserve Sri Lankan wildlife
Main national parks and reserves that contain viable Sri Lankan elephant populations.
| Conservation land |
Area (km²) |
Yala (Nature reserve, National ParkYala National Park is the 2nd largest national park in Sri Lanka.It is situated in the southeast region of the island in the dry zone. The park is situated about 300 km from Colombo which is capital city of Sri Lanka. Yala park belongs to two provinces in Sri Lanka namely Uva Province and...
, Yala EastKumana National Park in Sri Lanka is renowned for its avifauna, particularly its large flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds. The park is southeast of Colombo on Sri Lanka's southeastern coast. Kumana is contiguous with Yala National Park...
) |
Total 1508 |
| Wilpattu National Park Wilpattu National Park is a park located on the island of Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of “Willus” - Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. Located in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka...
|
1310 |
| Maduru Oya National Park |
588 |
| Udawalawe National Park udawalawe park has more than 600 elephants now & can see leapord although rarelyUda Walawe National Park is an important national park in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. The reserve covers 306 km² and was established in 1972 to protect the catchment of the Uda Walawe reservoir...
|
308 |
| Wasgomuwa National Park |
369 |
| Peak Wilderness sanctuary |
223 |
| Gal Oya National Park Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya. 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...
|
260 |
| Floodplains National Park |
173 |
| Padaviya Sanctuary |
65 |
| Minneriya-Giritale Sanctuary |
75 |
| Bundala National Park Bundala National Park is an internationally important wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka. Bundala harbors 197 species of Birds, the highlight being the Greater Flamingo, which migrate in large flocks. Bundala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and redesignated to a...
|
62 |
| Gal-Oya East |
124 |
| Gal-Oya South East |
152 |
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Kegalle treats injured elephants, caring baby elephants they lost their mothers. Nearly 70 elephants live here. Captive breeding also ongoing here.
Udawalawe Elephant Transit CentreSri Lankan elephants are considered as a endangered species and their survival in their natural habitats is threatened due to human activities. Consequently elephants in the wild are constantly being killed and many elephant calves become orphaned...
inUdawalawe is a rehabilitation centre where orphaned elephant calves have been kept until they are realized into the habitat.