Legends with names

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2021 – Spencer Spencer (Kohomba-Kema 2:2 Male, YM 73) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Spencer" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. He…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2008 – Stessi Stessi (Rawum Wala 3:3 Female, YF 05) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Stessi" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · late 2017 – Steve Steve (Kaluwara Bokkuwa 2:3 Male, YM 43) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Steve" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2017 – Strawberry (Aria) Strawberry, also called Aria (Welmalkema 4:4 female, YF 32), is a well-known leopardess of Yala Block 1, first seen around Uraniya in May 2017. She is famous for…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2020 – Suba Suba (Heen Wewa 2:2 Male, YM 57) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Suba" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Sudda Sudda (KLM9) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Sudda" is the name used for him in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild white elephant · Yala · 1993 – Sudu Aliya Sudu Aliya ('white elephant') is a female white elephant of Yala, the first recorded in Sri Lanka and described by researchers as the only one known living free…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Sudu Mahaththaya Sudu Mahaththaya (KLM43) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Sudu Mahaththaya" is the name used for him in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Sugala Sugala (KLF20) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Sugala" is the name used for her in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Minneriya Sumedha (Minneriya) Sumedha is a long-tusked bull that roams Minneriya and Kaudulla at certain times of the year, and has also been seen around Kalawewa, Kekirawa, Ganewalpola and Namal Uyana.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Udawalawe Sumedha (Udawalawe) Sumedha is a large tusker of Udawalawe National Park and, after Walawe Raja disappeared, became the park's dominant bull. He has well-shaped tusks, a large (bullet) hole in…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Suparnaka Suparnaka (KLF21) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Suparnaka" is the name used for her in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2013 – Superman Superman (Gonagala 2:2 Male) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Superman" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. Named "Superman" by…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage · 26 November 1996 – Surangi Surangi is a female elephant born on 26 November 1996 who came to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in 1997 from Trincomalee. She gave birth to a calf, Kannaka,…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2016 – Susan Susan (Y-Junction 2:2 Female 1, YF 13) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Susan" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa Thai Raja A tusker gifted by the King of Thailand who arrived in Sri Lanka on 24 February 1986 and was presented to the Sri Dalada Maligawa the next day;…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Theja Theja (KLM30) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Theja" is the name used for him in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial elephant (female) · September 2019 Tikiri A 70-year-old female elephant whose emaciated appearance in the 2019 Kandy Esala Perahera drew worldwide attention when photos spread online. The Maligawa said she took part to fulfil…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Tikiri Tikiri (KLF46) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Tikiri" is the name used for her in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala (deceased) Tilak Remembered as the 'gentle giant' of Yala: a senior tusker of about 55 years, thought to be the largest and oldest in the park, who was calm around…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Minneriya · March 2025 Unicorn Unicorn was a well-known single-tusked dominant bull of Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks, often seen with female elephants during Minneriya's yearly elephant "Gathering". He was shot by unidentified…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Uti Uti (KLM13) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Uti" is the name used for him in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala Vasana Vasana (Thenuwara Wala 4:3 Female, YF 60) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Vasana" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Veera Veera (KLM40) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Veera" is the name used for him in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage · 1999 Vijaya Vijaya was one of the five orphaned elephants with which the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage opened in February 1975. A wild-born male, he became the orphanage's main breeding bull:…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Villu Villu (KLF2) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Villu" is the name used for her in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild elephant · Kala Wewa Walagamba Walagamba was the dominant bull of the Kalawewa herd, a herd known for its many tuskers. The writer of a 2014 tribute first saw him at Kalawewa in…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala Walaskema Tusker The Walaskema tusker of Yala Block II was the first of Yala's famous cross-tuskers, named after the Walaskema water-hole he visited regularly. In the 1950s naturalist Dr H.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Udawalawe Walawe Raja Walawe Raja (often just 'Raja') was the best-known tusker of Udawalawe National Park. For years he came into the park each year around June/July to October, usually in…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2017/18 – Warner Warner (Alikatupalassa 2:2 Male 1) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Warner" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. He is…