Sri Lanka's Notable Elephants & Tuskers Registry
The definitive catalog of Sri Lanka's notable elephants and iconic wild tuskers across tanks, sanctuaries, and temple archives. Filter by living status, classification, or search by name and territory.
Understanding Sri Lanka's Notable Elephants
Sri Lanka's wild and captive elephant populations hold deep historical, cultural, and ecological significance. Unlike African elephants where both sexes carry tusks, only approximately two to five percent of male Asian elephants in Sri Lanka carry prominent ivory tusks.
Who are the most famous tuskers?
Historic legends include Maligawa Raja, who carried the Sacred Tooth Relic for 37 years, and the towering Nadungamuwa Raja. Wild icons include Galgamuwa Dala Poottuwa, Walagamba, Kawanthissa, and the surviving giant Thirappane Agbo.
Why are Sri Lankan tuskers rare?
Extensive 19th-century colonial hunting selectively targeted tusk-bearing males, depleting the tusk-carrying gene pool. Today, surviving wild tuskers face severe threats from human-elephant conflict and illegal farming barriers.