Elephant locations in Sri Lanka
| Region: | Sri Lanka is in this database included in asia | Other regions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Wild elephants: | Sri Lanka has about 5879 (min. 5879, max. 5879) wild elephants. Source:Fernando et al. (2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location holdings: | 85 locations has kept 349 elephants in Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elephants in locations | 252 (98,112) living | 97 (50,23) dead | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sex ratio and Management: |
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Sri Lanka is an island with a land area of approximately 62,000 km2 situated in the Indian Ocean, 35 km from the southern end of the Indian Peninsula. Human-elephant conflict2019: In 2019 alone, 407 elephants and 122 humans were killed due to the country’s worsening HEC. Man-elephant conflicts are the major cause for the elephant killings whilst a number of elephants were run over by trains accidentally. In some other cases elephants were killed as they fell in man-made structures like farming wells. Captive elephants1946: In 1946 Sri Lanka was said to have 736 elephants in captivity (Santiapillai and de Silva, 1994) 1955: there were said to still be 670 elephants (Deraniyagala, 1955). 1967: census conducted by the University of Peradeniya and the Smithsonian Elephant Research Programme showed 532 elephants, with two owned by government and the remaining 530 in private hands (Jayasinghe and Jainudeen, 1970). In the early 1980s a census conducted by the DWLC listed 344 elephants, including 29 tuskers and 154 mukhnas (Anon., 1982d); but A.B. Fernando, who handed the mimeographed single page to the author, estimated that about 10% were uncounted, the addition of which would give about 380 elephants (A.B. Fernando, 1988). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name | Elephant collection | Type | Place | District | Province | State | Region | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| P.R. Karunarathna Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | private | Hemmathagama | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anamaduwa Wev Pitiya Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | camp | Puttalam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anamaduwe Dhammadassi Thera Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anuradhapura forest Kept totally 12 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 9 births | 12 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. B. Yayasekhara Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | private | Dompe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya temple Kept totally 3 elephants | , 2 present (2,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | temple | Boralesgamuwa (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bentota Tourist Complex elephant orphanage Kept totally 7 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 7 relocated | 0 deaths | orphanage | Bentota | Southern province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ceylon Department of Civil Engineering Kept totally 6 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 2 relocated | 4 deaths | camp | Kurunegala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ceylon department of the commissioner of roads Kept totally 2 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 2 deaths | camp | Colombo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ceylon Zoological Gardens Company Kept totally 3 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 3 relocated | 0 deaths | zoo | Dehivela, Colombo (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Champis elephant safari Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | camp | Kegalle | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colombo unspecified location Kept totally 2 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 2 deaths | private | Colombo (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. S. Senanayake Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D.A.W. Kannangara Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Delgamu temple Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Ratnapura | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deraniyagala Sri Saman Devalaya Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Deraniyagala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Devinda Senanayake Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | private | Kerala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Devinuwara Upulwan Sri Vishnu Devalaya Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Matara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dutugemunu of Anuradhapura Kept totally 2 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 2 deaths | private | Anuradhapura | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gangaramaya Temple Kept totally 4 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 2 deaths | temple | Colombo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Giritale Elephant Transit Home Medical Centre Kept totally 5 elephants | , 1 present (0,1) | 0 births | 4 relocated | 0 deaths | hospital | Polonnaruwa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| H. L. Yajarathna Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Ratnapura | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hambantota Wild Elephant Management Reserve Kept totally 5 elephants | , 4 present (1,3) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | Hambantota | Southern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Horowpothana Elephant Holding Ground (HEHG) Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | sanctuary | Horowpathana National Park (map) | North Central Province | North eastern Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| J.P.I. Piyadasa Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| James Emerson Tennent Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Colombo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Hagenbeck Kept totally 7 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 7 relocated | 0 deaths | dealer | Colombo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| K.G. Punchi Apuhami Kept totally 3 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 3 deaths | private | Kegalla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| K.G. Sumarasekere Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kaduwela Kotalawela Sankapitti Vihara Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Kaduwela | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kalawewa National Park Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | wild | Anuradhapura (map) | Anuradhapura District | North Central Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kandalama Walauwa Kept totally 2 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 2 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Kandalama | Mirigama, Western Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple of the Tooth Kept totally 16 elephants | , 8 present (8,0) | 0 births | 2 relocated | 6 deaths | temple | Kandy (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kataragama Kiri Vehera Dewalaya Kept totally 3 elephants | , 3 present (3,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Kataragama (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara temple Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (2,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Kelaniya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kotte Rajamaha Viahara Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | temple | Kotte | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kurunegala District Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | wild | Kurunegala | North Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kurunegala forest Kept totally 5 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 1 births | 5 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | Kurunegala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lahugala Elephant Sanctuary Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | Polonnaruwa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lucky Bandaranayake Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | private | Pamunuwa, Mawanella | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lunugamvehera National park Kept totally 4 elephants | , 4 present (3,1) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | Lunugamvehera | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maduru Oya National Park Kept totally 6 elephants | , 4 present (1,1) | 1 births | 2 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | Polonnaruwa | Uva Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maharagama Temple Kept totally 3 elephants | , 3 present (0,1) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Maharagama | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mahiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Mahayangana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matara elephant stables Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | dealer | Matara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matara Weherahena temple Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (1,1) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Matara (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Millennium Elephant Foundation Kept totally 11 elephants | , 9 present (4,5) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 1 deaths | private | Kegalle (map) | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minneriya national park Kept totally 3 elephants | , 3 present (0,1) | 3 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | Polonnaruwa (map) | North Central Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Molagoda elephant village camp Kept totally 10 elephants | , 5 present (2,3) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 4 deaths | camp | Molagoda (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morahena Watte Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Athurugiriya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morawatte Temple Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Kegalle | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nawagaththegama jungle Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 1 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | Puttalam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nawala businessman Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | zoo | Nawala, Kotte | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olaboduwe Ralahami Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| P.W.Wijegunawardene Kept totally 4 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 4 relocated | 0 deaths | private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panagoda army camp Kept totally 3 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 3 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Kalutara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panamure elephant kraal (Panamura Ethgala) Kept totally 30 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 17 relocated | 13 deaths | dealer | Sabaragamuwa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pelmadulla Purana Rajamaha Viharaya Kept totally 2 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | temple | Pelmadulla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pinnawala elephant orphanage Kept totally 146 elephants | , 69 present (21,37) | 66 births | 54 relocated | 23 deaths | orphanage | Kegalle (map) | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pinnawala elephant safari Kept totally 3 elephants | , 1 present (0,1) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 1 deaths | camp | Kegalle (map) | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pinnawala Zoo Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (2,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | zoo | Kegalle (map) | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polwatte temple Kept totally 2 elephants | , 1 present (1,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | temple | Kollupitiya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Kandy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ragama temple (unknown name) Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 1 deaths | temple | Ragama | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ridi Vihara (Silver temple) Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (0,1) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Kandy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ridiyagama Safari park Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (2,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | zoo | Ambalanthota (map) | Hambantota | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ritigala Yaan Oya Elephant Transit Home Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | orphanage | Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samaragiri Club Concept Elephant Bath Kept totally 2 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 1 births | 2 relocated | 0 deaths | camp | Kegalle | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sinharaja Forest Reserve Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (2,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | (map) | Southern Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Siri Alanmathiniyaramaya Purana Viharaya Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (0,2) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Colombo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sri Dewram Wehera Depanama Pannipitiya Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Pannipitiya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo) Kept totally 67 elephants | , 7 present (1,5) | 1 births | 52 relocated | 8 deaths | zoo | Dehiwala, Colombo (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka Ramanya Nikaya Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Weveldeniya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka unspecified location Kept totally 19 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 23 births | 16 relocated | 3 deaths | wild | (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sumedha Basnayake Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Balangoda | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tikiri Bandara Mampitiya Kept totally 2 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 2 relocated | 0 deaths | private | Giragama Walauwa, Yatinuwara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Uda Walawe Elephant Transit Home Udawalawa Eth Athuru Sewana Kept totally 95 elephants | , 22 present (10,9) | 0 births | 68 relocated | 5 deaths | orphanage | Uda Walawe National Park (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Uda Walawe Nationalpark Kept totally 71 elephants | , 66 present (20,32) | 6 births | 4 relocated | 1 deaths | wild | Uda Walawe National Park (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Udugama Plywood Corporation Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | camp | Udugama | Central Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ulankulama interim elephant orphanage Kept totally 0 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | orphanage | North Central Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vipashyarama Purana Vihara Kept totally 2 elephants | , 2 present (0,0) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wewaladeniya Rajamaha Viharaya Kept totally 1 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 1 relocated | 0 deaths | temple | Kegalle | Kegalle District | Sabaragamuwa Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wilpattu elephant orphanage Kept totally 6 elephants | , 0 present (0,0) | 0 births | 6 relocated | 0 deaths | orphanage | Wilpattu national park | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wilpattu Nationalpark Kept totally 1 elephants | , 1 present (0,1) | 0 births | 0 relocated | 0 deaths | wild | (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yala Ruhunu National Park Kept totally 19 elephants | , 12 present (5,7) | 10 births | 2 relocated | 5 deaths | wild | Hambantota (map) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This document was updated: 2020-10-03 08:17:45