Sri Lanka's Animals
Elephants
They drink about 120-150 litres of water every day. They also sleep standing up! They keep themselves cool by flapping their ears. Only the male Sri Lankan elephants have tusks. These elephants live in the Kaudulla National Park.
Male elephants live alone. They can sometimes be seen close to the group or sometimes off by themselves:
Sri Lanka has had a long history of domesticating elephants. Long ago the Sinhalese kings kept elephants for military purposes. They also believed that having elephants made them look more majestic. |
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These days elephants do different types of jobs. They help carry logs, steel girders, sand and other building materials. They also take part in ceremonies and temple processions all over the country. The men who take care of the elephants are called mahoots.
Leopards
Leopards are solitary animals. That means that they do not live and hunt in packs. They like to hunt at night but will also hunt during dawn and dusk. These leopards usually don't bother to drag their prey into trees after they have killed them. They usually eat birds, reptiles and mammals such as monkeys or wild boar. Leopards hunt by quietly sneaking up on animals and pouncing on them.
Usually 2 cubs are born at a time and they live with the mother until they are old enough to fend for themselves. |
Dugong
Tufted Grey Langur
The Toque Macaque
Asian Openbill
Common Myna
Cormorants
Painted Storks
Herons
Egrets
Pond Herons
Indian Rollers
Pelicans
The Fulvous Whistling Duck
Moor Hens
Laylard's Parakeet
Red-wattled Lapwings
White-bellied Sea Eagle
Wolly-necked Stork
Giant Attacus Atlas Moth
Frogs
Fruit Bats
Jackals
Ghost Crab
They can run very quickly to get away from danger. They either run into the sea or back to their burrows to escape.
Indian Palm Squirrel
Water Buffaloes
Mongoose
Mongooses like to eat insects, worms, lizards, rodents and birds. They'll also eat eggs and carrion. They can fight and kills snakes.
Mongooses like to eat insects, worms, lizards, rodents and birds. They'll also eat eggs and carrion. They can fight and kills snakes.