Elephant Wildlife Conservation

Elephant Wildlife Conservation We here help people to teach how to save and conserve the largest animal on land "The Elephant". Please go to our website and see more details about us!

We are an organisation, which helps to conserve elephants from getting endangered.

Species Elephas maximus consists of three subspecies. Among them Elephas maximus maximus is the subspecies inhabited in ...
23/06/2021

Species Elephas maximus consists of three subspecies. Among them Elephas maximus maximus is the subspecies inhabited in Sri Lanka and is the physically largest and the darkest of the Asian elephant species who bear a more attractive appearance than their African relatives. It is thought that the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is a close relative to Sri Lankan ones. Majority of the Sri Lankan gigantic herbivores inhabit in deciduous rain forests and the law land grasslands of the island. Their life span lies between 50 – 70 years and they stay in matriarchal herds. They feed on barks, roots, fruits and grass. Due to the interruptions on their daily routine and due to alteration of their natural behavior leads the reduction of the elephant population from the country. Loss of the habitats, decreasing the fitness of the populations, illegal trade and increment of captive breeding can be mainly identified as the leading actions for the decrement of elephant populations in Sri Lanka.

Decreasing the fitness of the populations happens mainly due to the fragmentation of habitats and blocking of migratory ...
23/06/2021

Decreasing the fitness of the populations happens mainly due to the fragmentation of habitats and blocking of migratory paths. This restrict the mixing of herds and the mixing of genetic characteristics to give rise to well adapted juveniles. Decreasing of the number of tuskers in Sri Lanka is due to the loss of adult tuskers bearing the specific genes. Elephants own a complex communication system ranging from high vocalizations to law ones which even cannot be heard by humans. For long distance communication they use low frequency vocalizations and they could communicate with ones who stay over miles away. In warning of predators and during the breeding season male and female elephants exchange their calls in this manner. Fragmentations of land and constructions interrupt these communication pathways. This resists the selection of well adapted organisms in mating. Elephants also communicate using their olfactory senses. Separation of herds in to different islands and senses given by the cultivated crops provide them wrong signals and make them fall in trouble. Elephants gain the reproductive potentiality only when they are in mid-teen age and they possess the longest gestation period of an animal; 22 months which is nearly two years. Longevity of the reproductive age and gestation period decrease the probability of giving birth to a baby elephant.

Illegal trade and the hunting of elephants also has contributed towards the declining of elephant populations. During the British governing period in 19th century the elephant population had greatly dropped due to hunting them for leisure and for gaining tusks, hairs of the tail and ivories by the British rulers. Even today these are sold illegally escaping from the legal boundaries for unbelievable amounts of money.

Known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is a wondrous island endowed with a plethora of resources such as an a...
23/06/2021

Known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is a wondrous island endowed with a plethora of resources such as an abundant biodiversity, rich culture, great history, varied landscapes and many more. However, when we talk about the wildlife of the island, it is the jumbos that come to mind at once. An iconic constituent of the country’s wildlife, elephants have over thousands of years been living in Sri Lanka where they have been revered for centuries. What’s more, it is Sri Lanka that cares for the world’s largest herd of orphaned elephants. So, if you have planned a trip to Sri Lanka, you will without a doubt take home fond memories of these gigantic yet gentle mammals.

Globally there are mainly two extant species of elephants – the African elephant (Loxodonta) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), but after recent extensive studies and DNA testing, the African elephant was further subdivided into two distinct species called African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) and African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis). The Asian elephant falls into three distinct subspecies: Elephas maximus maximus (living in Sri Lanka), Elephas maximus indicus (living in mainland Asia), and Elephas maximus sumatranus (living in the island of Sumatra). All these species of elephants are of the Elephantidae family and The Proboscidea order.

Asian Elephant
However, the largest of the Asian elephant’ genus, Elephas maximus maximus (Linnaeus, 1758) is found only in Sri Lanka and it is a distinct subspecies of the Asian elephant while thought to be closely related to the Indian elephant. When compared with the African elephant, the Sri Lankan elephant is smaller in size but more attractive in appearance. It possesses smaller ears with dorsal borders folded laterally. The skin of this species is relatively smoother and darker with larger and more distinct patches of depigmentation on ears, face, trunk and belly. They have two humps on their forehead and the back is arched and convex while the trunk is more rigid with less rings ending in a single lip, a finger-like projection with which it can scoop tiny objects up.

Elephants Highlights Pinnawala Elephant OrphanageThe Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is home to about 60 elephants, out of ...
23/06/2021

Elephants Highlights Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is home to about 60 elephants, out of which many are baby elephants found, abandoned or orphaned in the wild. They are being cared, fed and trained by the wild life authorities. The best time to visit is during the feeding times, when one will have the opportunity of seeing the baby elephants being bottle-fed. Also you could accompany the elephants to a river close-by and see the elephants having their daily bath.

It was started in 1975 by the Department of Wildlife on a twenty five acre coconut property on the Maha Oya River at Rambukkana. The orphanage was primarily designed to afford care and protection to the many baby elephants found in the jungle without their mothers. In most of these cases the mother had either died or been killed. In some instances the baby had fallen into a pit and in others the mother had fallen in and died.

Initially this orphanage was at the Wilpattu National Park, then shifted to the tourist complex at Bentota and then to the Dehiwala Zoo. From the Zoo it was shifted to Pinnawala. At the time it was shifted the orphanage, it had five baby elephants which formed its nucleus. It was hoped that this facility would attract both local and foreign visitors, the income from which would help to maintain the orphanage.

In 1978 the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was taken over by the National Zoological Gardens from the Department of Wildlife and a captive breeding program launched in 1982.

Yala (Ruhuna) National ParkSituated 309 km south of Colombo, Yala is approximately 1,259 sq.km in extent and is located ...
23/06/2021

Yala (Ruhuna) National Park
Situated 309 km south of Colombo, Yala is approximately 1,259 sq.km in extent and is located in the south-eastern corner of the island. Its northern boundaries border on the Lahugala Elephant Sanctuary and it has the added bonus of a scenic ocean frontage.

he terrain is varied flat plains alternating with rocky outcrops. The vegetation ranges from open parkland to dense jungle. Water holes, small lakes, lagoons and streams provide water for the animals and birds. The specialty here is the large numbers of elephants.

Life Style of ElephantsAt any given time, you can see large numbers of baby elephants and female elephants. In a herd yo...
23/06/2021

Life Style of Elephants

At any given time, you can see large numbers of baby elephants and female elephants. In a herd you always find female elephants and occasionally herds of male elephants too could be seen.

Babies are looked after by the mother, aunt or another female elephants while male elephants are loners and never live in a group and are attracted in to a group during the mating season (from September to October) only and most of the parks are closed for visitors during this period.

Their average height (height is measured to the shoulder) goes to about 8 feet (2.5m) and 1800 Kg in weight while they consume about 200 kg of foliage and grass per day and plenty of water for drinking and bathing.

They are very active in the night and most of them sleep under large trees in the day time. Only a few tuskers can be seen in Sri Lanka due to brutal killings as mentioned before to get their tusks due to its high value. However new laws have been introduced to protect them and let tomorrow’s people too marvel these gigantic beasts.

Some people believe that elephants have grave yards and they travel near a water resource when they are about to die. Some do not believe this tale and say when they are old their teeth are wasted and due to the difficulty of consuming heavy branches of trees make them go to a place where there is grass and water.

The Sri Lankan subspecies is the largest and also the darkest of the Asian elephants, with patches of depigmentation—are...
20/06/2021

The Sri Lankan subspecies is the largest and also the darkest of the Asian elephants, with patches of depigmentation—areas with no skin color—on its ears, face, trunk and belly. Once found throughout the tear-shaped island at the bottom of India’s southern tip, these elephants are now being pushed into smaller areas as development activities clear forests and disrupt their ancient migratory routes.

The herd size in Sri Lanka ranges from 12-20 individuals or more. It is led by the oldest female, or matriarch. In Sri Lanka, herds have been reported to contain nursing units, consisting of lactating females and their young, and juvenile care units, containing females with juveniles. The Sri Lankan elephant population has fallen almost 65% since the turn of the 19th century. Today, the Sri Lanka elephant is protected under the Sri Lankan law and killing one carries the death penalty.

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