Legends with names

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · early 2016 – Harry Harry (Rawum Wala 1:1 Male, YM 10) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Harry" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · privately owned · about 1924 – 6 November 2002 Heiyantuduwa Raja A tusker captured in the Hambantota district and bought at auction in 1945 by William Gunasekara of Heiyantuduwa, Biyagama; he was later owned by Henry Gunasekara of Kandy.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · early 2016 – Henry (Pink Nose) Henry (Pink Nose) (Rawum Wala 3:2 Male, YM 09) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Henry" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala Hope Hope (Ruk Vila 3:4 Female, YF 15) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Hope" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala Hunter Hunter (Kosgasmankada 2:3 Male, YM 12) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Hunter" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. First…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa · about 1980 (India) – Indi Raja An Indian-born tusker (originally called Basheer) gifted to the Sri Dalada Maligawa by Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the late 1980s; he was chosen at the Mudumalai…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala J J (Medha Para 2:3 Male) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "J" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. Called the…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · about April/May 2022 – James James (Debaragas Wala 3:2 Male, YM 75) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "James" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial elephant · Dalada Maligawa · Dehiwala Zoo – Janaraja An elephant born at the Dehiwala Zoo and presented to the Sri Dalada Maligawa by President J.R. Jayewardene in 1985. In 2017 he was described as the most…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2018 – Jane Jane (Lolugas Wala 3:4 Female, YF 46) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Jane" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Jaya Jaya (KLM34) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Jaya" 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 · 2008 – Jeena Jeena (Siyambalagas Wala 3:3 Female, YF 01) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Jeena" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2014 – Jennie Jennie (Rathmal Wala 4:4 Female) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Jennie" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. Sister of…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2018 – Jerry Jerry (Lolugas Wala 4:3 Male, YM 44) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Jerry" 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 2018 – Jessi Jessi (Palugas Wala 4:2 Female, YF 47) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Jessi" 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 2019 – Jessica Jessica (Kudaseelawa 2:2 female, YF 52) was born in late 2019 in Yala with her sister Judy. In 2020 the two sisters were the most prominent leopards in…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2018 – Josh Josh (Lolugas Wala 2:2 Male, YM 45) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Josh" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala Joy Joy (Bola Gala 2:2 Female, YF 36) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Joy" 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 2019 – Judy Judy (Kudaseelawa 1:2 female, YF 53) was born in late 2019 in Yala with her sister Jessica, and in 2020 the pair were the most prominent leopards in…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · late 2018 – Julius Julius (Wilapalawa 2:3 male, YM 47) was born in late 2018 around Wilapalawa and Mahaseelawa in Yala; his mother is the Kotigala 3:2 female. Bold and relaxed around…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Sri Lankan elephant abroad Kaavan Kaavan is a male elephant that Sri Lanka's government under President J.R. Jayewardene gifted to Pakistan in 1985 as a baby. He lived at the Islamabad zoo, from…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild bull · Yala Kabila (Thani Dalaya) Kabila, also called Thani Dalaya ('the single tusker'), is a young bull of the Sithulpawwa area of Yala. In June 2017 he was reported to have fatally wounded…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa Kadira A tusker bought for 25,000 rupees by the late Diyawadana Nilame Nissanka Wijeratne with his own money and gifted to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, so that the tusker…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Captive leopard · Pinnawala Zoo Kadira (leopard) Kadira is a captive male leopard, reported as seven years old in June 2025, chosen together with the female Renu for Sri Lanka's first leopard captive-breeding programme run…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala Kai Kai (Katagamuwa 3:4 Male, YM 34) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Kai" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. A…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ridiyagama Safari Park Kalana Kalana is an elephant belonging to the historic Devinuwara Sri Upulvan Devalaya. In September 2018 the Department of Wildlife Conservation took him to the Ridiyagama Safari Park for…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Udawalawe Kalthota Tusker (Kalthota Raja) The Kalthota tusker, also called Kalthota Raja, was named as one of the four mature tuskers seen in Udawalawe National Park around 2010, together with Walawe Raja, Sumedha…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala Kamala Devi Kamala Devi (Sithulpawwa 3:3 Female, YF 57) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Kamala Devi" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala Kan Kota (Scarface) Kan Kota (Scarface) (Thalgasmankada 5:4 Male) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Kan Kota" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Historic ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa Kanda The lifelong companion of the famous Maligawa Raja. Tikiri Banda Mampitiya Disawa of Giragama Walauwa bought the two young tuskers together in December 1925 from the merchant Ummeru…