The virgin forests of Sri Lanka are rich in their variety and profusion of flora and fauna. Wildlife include elephants, leopards, bears, buffalo, and peafowl, and tree species such as ebony, mahogany, satinwood, and teak.
Sri Lankan elephants
The Sri Lankan elephant is one of the three types of Asian elephants. The country has the largest concentration of elephants and most visitors to the island go on an elephant watching safari or visit an elephant orphanage. Elephants are important and sacred animals in Sri Lanka and are protected.
Elephants can be seen in most of the national parks, and the place where the big gathering takes place is in Minneriya National Park.
Sri Lankan leopards
Not every wildlife safari tour will be lucky enough to spot a leopard. They are solitary creatures, but females do wander with their young until they are old enough to hunt. The Sri Lankan leopard is larger than other leopards and are the highest in the jungle food chain since there are no tigers and lions around.
Peacocks are native to India and Sri Lanka and are considered some of the most beautiful and sacred animals.
These birds love showing off their color and being photographed!
Sri Lankan junglefowl
The Sri Lankan junglefowl, which looks a lot like a rooster, is the national bird of Sri Lanka. It is depicted in postal stamps and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Don’t be put off by its common looking colors, this bird is quite beautiful and a top catch for bird watchers.
The grey hornbill is native to Sri Lanka. It is a member of the hornbill family but the fact that it doesn’t have the top part of the beak sets it apart. The reproduction process of the grey hornbill involves the male trapping the female, and its eggs, inside a hole in a tree. He brings them food through a small opening and both adults open the covering of the hole once the babies are ready to learn to fly.
The Sri Lankan sambar deer is relatively larger than deer found in other countries. They live in herds inside national parks, especially Horton Plains where visitors can see the sambar deer wandering around. The males have large antlers but the females do not.
The spotted deer are the most common deer found in Sri Lanka. The herds are quite large and populated. Visitors can find spotted deer in all of the national parks,
In Sri Lanka like most South Asian countries, there are wild water buffalo and domestic water buffalo. The wild water buffalo is more scarce than their domesticated cousins and can be found in the national parks. The domesticated water buffalo are used for working the fields and their milk is used for making curd, a Sri Lankan delicacy.
Toque macaque monkeys
The toque macaque monkeys are the most common monkeys seen in Sri Lanka. They are separated into dry zone, wet zone and highland and their physical difference is in the shape of their toque style hair. The dry zone toque macaques are knows as temple monkeys since there are so many of them in the Cultural Triangle.
Dolphins and whales
Dolphins and whales can be seen from boats off the coast of the south and southeast shores of Sri Lanka. The art of dolphin watching has become precarious in recent years as boats and tourists crowd the waters and follow the animals
The types of whales that can be seen in these waters are blue whales, humpback whales and orcas. Very infrequently you might come across a dugong.
In the southern town of Unawatuna, there is a sea turtle hatchery and conservation area for the protection of these delicate animals. They can sometimes be seen in the ocean, usually by surfers.