Legends with names

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · 1988 Maligawa Raja The most famous of the Temple of the Tooth's tuskers. He carried the golden relic casket at the Esala Perahera for 34 years, from 1953 to 1986. When…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · 2016 – Mandy Mandy (Ali Gala 3:4 Female 2, YF 08) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Mandy" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Temple elephant · Bellanwila · 6 October 2025 Manika An elephant of the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya near Colombo who took part in the temple's annual perahera and its rituals for many years and became a well-loved part…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage · about 1970 – Mathali Mathali (also written Matali) is a wild-born female and one of the five orphans with which the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage opened in 1975. With Vijaya she is recorded…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala May May (Sathmaga 2:2 Female) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "May" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. A rarely seen…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · early 2011 – Maya Maya (Meynert Wewa 4:4 Female, YF 33) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Maya" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Meena Meena (KLF18) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Meena" 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 · Kumana Meenu Meenu (KLF42) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Meenu" 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 · 2019/20 – Mega Mega (Agil Wala 2:2 Male, YM 59) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Mega" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team.…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Megha Megha (KLM44) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Megha" 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 · late 2012 – Mia Mia (Tanki Gala 1:2 Female) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Mia" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. Born in…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · late 2017 – Michael Michael (Modharagala 3:4 Male, YM 27) is a male leopard of Yala National Park; "Michael" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. Born…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Yala · late 2017 – Michelle Michelle (Modharagala 3:3 Female, YF 34) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Michelle" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. Born…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa Migara One of the eight tuskers belonging to the Sri Dalada Maligawa in 2017. That year the Maligawa said Migara would not be available during the perahera season, adding…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Mihi Mihi (KLF17) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Mihi" 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

Ceremonial tusker · privately owned · 29 June 2020 Millangoda Podi Raja (Jayanthi) A tusker owned by S.R.S. Millangoda, who bought him at about four years old at a public auction at the Dehiwala Zoo in 1956; his official name, Jayanthi,…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · privately owned · about 1938 – 2011 Millangoda Raja A privately owned tusker of the Millangoda family of Molagoda, Kegalle, captured as a young elephant in 1945 in the Puttalam district. He was famous for tusks of…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Wild tusker · Yala · 19 April 2018 Missaka Missaka was a 35-year-old tusker regarded as an icon of Yala National Park, with tusks about three feet long. He was found injured on 15 April 2018 near…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Mitra Mitra (KLM14) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Mitra" 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 · Kumana Mitta Mitta (KLF9) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Mitta" 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 Monika Monika (Modharagala 2:3 Female, YF 29) is a female leopard of Yala National Park; "Monika" is a name used by Yala trackers and the Leopard Trails team. First…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Mudali Mudali (KLM7) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Mudali" 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 tusker · Udawalawe · December 2018 Mugalan Mugalan was a young tusker, about 10–12 years old, who regularly visited Udawalawe National Park and was often driven back into the park by wildlife officers after straying…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Mula Mula (KLM24) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Mula" 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

Thai gift tusker Muthu Raja (Sak Surin) Muthu Raja, known in his birthplace Thailand as Sak Surin, is a Thai tusker gifted by the Thai government to Sri Lanka in 2001 and later given to…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Temple tusker · Bellanwila Myan Kumara A tusker gifted by the government of Myanmar to the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya in 2013, when he was about seven. He has walked in the Kandy Esala Perahera…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Elephant — not this animal

Ceremonial tusker · Dalada Maligawa Myan Raja One of two tuskers gifted by Myanmar that joined the Sri Dalada Maligawa herd in 2007. By 2017 he had been trained to carry the golden relic casket…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Nadi Nadi (KLF39) is a female leopard of Kumana National Park; "Nadi" is the name used for her in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…

Ceremonial tusker · 1953 – 7 March 2022 Nadungamuwa Raja A ceremonial tusker who carried the golden casket of the Sacred Tooth Relic at the Kandy Esala Perahera most years from 2006 to 2021. At about 3.2 m…

A photo of a Sri Lankan Leopard — not this animal

Leopard · Kumana Naga Naga (KLM32) is a male leopard of Kumana National Park; "Naga" is the name used for him in the Leopards of Kumana citizen-science field guide, which is based…