Encounters with Elephants in Sri Lanka

The country’s largest land mammal, ‘Elephas maximus maximus’ or the Sri Lankan elephant is an endemic and iconic animal that is worth seeing in its natural habitat. Here are some insights into this majestic creature.

Ideal for Safaris

Featuring one of the world’s highest Asian elephant densities, the island offers plenty of opportunities to see these gentle giants up close. Most herds can be found in the dry zone national parks which are ideal for those looking to embark on an elephant safari in Sri Lanka.

The Gathering

No mention of elephants in Sri Lanka is complete without highlighting The Gathering; taking place at the Minneriya National Park, this wildlife spectacle sees 200 to 300 elephants gather in and around the Minneriya Reservoir! This generally takes place between August to mid-October and can be experienced on safaris organised by Cinnamon Nature Trails and other specialised tour operators.

Other National Parks

Of course, Minneriya is not the only national park for an elephant safari. The Udawalawe, Wasgamuwa, Yala and Kaudulla national parks, as well as the Hurulu Eco Park, also let you see these creatures in the wild.

Some Interesting Facts

• Elephants are strictly herbivorous
• They spend 16 to 18 hours per day eating
• A matriarch leads the herd
• The Sri Lankan elephant is between 7 to 10 feet in height
• From the male elephants in Sri Lanka, only around 5% have tusks
• Elephants have very good memories and can recognise humans or other elephants years or decades later; hence the phrase, “an elephant never forgets!”

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+

Elephants in Sri Lanka

When we talk about the wildlife of Sri Lanka, it’s the elephants that come to our minds first. If on a holiday in Sri Lanka, you’ll come across many sanctuaries to view these majestic creatures.

Image by Rohit Varma, Elephas Maximus (19201959), CC BY-SA 3.0

About

Majestic elephants in Sri Lanka are known as the iconic constituent of the country’s wildlife. Elephants have been living for more than thousands of years and they’ve been revered from time immemorial. What’s more, Sri Lanka is home for the world’s largest herd of orphaned elephants. Elephas maximus maximus, the largest of the Asian elephant’ genus is found only in Sri Lanka!

Disposition

Sri Lankan elephants are self-aware, highly intelligent, emotional as well as robust in nature. These gentle jumbos often show emotional appeal using their head, trunk, tail, and their large ears. Even though the elephants were used for carrying, hauling and lifting heavy objects in ancient Sri Lanka, now they are mostly used in religious and cultural festivals such as ‘Kandy Esala Perahara’.

Where to spot

Those who wish to experience an elephant safari in Sri Lanka can plan your journey with one of the leading local tour operators such as Cinnamon Nature Trails for an exhilarating experience. Pinnawala is the best spot to witness a large volume of elephants. If you love spending more time with the jumbos, have a nice time bathing an elephant! Udawalawa, Minneriya, and Wagamuwa are some other places where one can catch a glimpse of elephants in the wild.

Lifestyle

At any given time, you’ll hardly find male elephants in a herd because mostly these herds include female and baby elephants. They are very active in the night and usually sleep under large trees in the daytime.

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+

The Elephants of Sri Lanka

Elephants are one of the most popular animals in Sri Lanka. These gentle giant can be spotted both in the wilderness as well as hundreds of domesticated elephants too can be spotted around the country. Read on to know more about these magnificent creatures.

Sri Lankan Elephants | Image Credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Cherubino">Cherubino</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sri_Lankan_Elephant_in_Hurulu_Eco_Park_10.JPG">Sri Lankan Elephant in Hurulu Eco Park 10</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode" rel="license">CC BY-SA 3.0</a> — Sri Lankan Elephants | Image Credit: Cherubino, Sri Lankan Elephant in Hurulu Eco Park 10, CC BY-SA 3.0

About

Elephants are Sri Lanka’s largest land mammal and they are a protected species of animals in the country. Known by the scientific name Elephas Maximus Maximus and they are also the largest Asian elephant species.

Habitat and behaviour

The elephants can be found living in grasslands around many of the country’s protected wildlife reserves. Female elephants and their calves live in groups and male elephants live a solitary life and they only interact with other elephants during the breeding season.

Threats faced by the elephants

Despite the efforts of the government, the population of the Sri Lankan elephants are continuously decreasing due to habitat loss and poaching.

Seeing them

You can see these gentle giants up close and personal at the elephant reserves such as Pinnawala or if you wish to see them in their natural habitats you can book an Elephant Safari in Sri Lanka from nature travel operators the likes of Cinnamon Nature Trails.

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+