Legends with names

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Galgamuwa · 23 November 2010 Parakrama (Siyambalangamuwa Maha Etha) Parakrama, also known as the Siyambalangamuwa Maha Etha, was a tusker of about 35 years from the Galgamuwa scrub forests, famous for his long, thick, even tusks; he…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala Parakum A lone Yala tusker who joined Sando in the February 2018 fight that cost Gemunu his first tusk.

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala · 1987 Podi Poottuwa Podi Poottuwa ('the small crossed one') was a Yala cross-tusker that followed Maha Poottuwa; his left tusk crossed over his right. He grew into a fine tusker and…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa Pulasthi Raja A tusker gifted by Myanmar, where he was called 'Golden Flower' (Pan Shwe Maung). He arrived in Sri Lanka in August 2017 and in September 2017 President Maithripala…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala · late 1970s Raja (Yala) Raja was a wild Yala tusker, smaller than most bulls but with long, big and symmetrical tusks. Naturalist Dr. H. I. E. Katugaha records that he was a…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa · 3 February 2006 (Pinnawala) – Raju A tusker born on 3 February 2006 at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage to Neelagiri and Punchi. He was given to the Sri Dalada Maligawa by President Mahinda Rajapaksa…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild elephant · Udawalawe Rambo Rambo is a famous wild bull of Udawalawe National Park who for about two decades has stood behind the electric fence on the reservoir bund along the Thanamalwila…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala Rana Rana is a young tusker of Yala's Gemunu group, the park's most habituated herd. According to researchers at the Centre for Conservation and Research, some wildlife officials mistook…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker Randeniye Bandara A well-loved tusker from Randeniya in Kegalle, also called the Warakagoda elephant, often seen at temple peraheras. On 28 July 2026, while being taken to the annual perahera…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Kala Wewa · 9 March 2021 Revatha Revatha (also spelt Rewatha), nicknamed "Adambarakaaraya", was the largest and most dominant tusker of the Kala Wewa – Balalu Wewa reserve, even though his tusks were short. Wildlife…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Gangaramaya · 2003 Ruwan Raja A tusker gifted to the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya temple in 1996 by the Morawatte Walauwa of Ratnapura; once called 'Dala kota', he was renamed after Ratnapura. He carried the…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage · August 2021 – Sajjana Sajjana is one of the male twins born to Surangi at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in August 2021, the first twin elephant births recorded there; his father is…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Sama Sama is a three-legged elephant at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage who lost the lower part of the right foreleg to an anti-personnel landmine during Sri Lanka's war, and…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala Sando A Yala tusker who, with Parakum, fought Gemunu near the Menik Ganga in February 2018, breaking one of Gemunu's tusks. He became well known to safari visitors afterwards.

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Minneriya Sapumal Sapumal is a tusker of about 25 years, known for tusks over two and a half feet long, linked to Hurulu Eco Park and Minneriya National Park. On…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Sri Lankan elephant abroad · about 1975 – 26 June 2020 Shanthi Shanthi was a female elephant born in Sri Lanka around 1975 and cared for as an orphan at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. In 1976 she was sent to…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Asgiri chapter, Kandy · Pinnawala – Sindu A single-tusked elephant from the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage who was Raju's playmate there. He was given over in 2009 at the request of the Kandy temple authorities, along…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa Sinharaja A Sri Dalada Maligawa tusker who was once the mascot of the Sinha Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, which gifted him to the Maligawa in 1994. In…

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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…