The two primary tribes of mammal carnivores in the world are cats and dogs. Both species are well adapted for meat eating life in the wild. Tourists on Big Game Safari’s in Udawalawe, Sri Lanka are usually very keen to catch a glimpse of Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) which is the largest member of the local cat family, also known as felids. However, the only representative of the Canidae family, apart from domestic dogs in Sri Lanka, is the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus). Read more
April is always beautiful and cheerful, because it’s like spring in Europe. Many trees out in the jungle are laden down with fragrant and beautiful flowers. We were playing host to new clients from the United State of America. This was their first experience of camping and going on safari, which they had decided to do on their honeymoon. Mahoora Camp Manager Mr. Ossi de Silva gave them a very warm welcome and then they were escorted to the Mahoora Elite tent. Read more
I returned to the Mahoora Yala campsite after a successful morning safari in the Yala National Park around 11.00a.m. on 02/01/2016.It was a very busy time for all the staff members as we had so many guests with us. Meanwhile, our former camp manager Mr. Nandakumara and staff member Sagara informed us about an unusual struggle and ravings in the near by park area. Read more
Soon after I was appointed to work at Yala National Park I took two guests on a Safari. It was the 09th of December and around 8.00am I noticed a carcass near the road and stopped to get a closer look. I identified it as a dead Pangolin.
“Musth” is a periodic condition in bull elephants. Characteristic of this biological condition is aggressive behavior which is accompanied by the sudden rise of reproductive hormones. The testosterone levels in this stage of an elephant are sixty times greater than other periods of its life cycle. Read more
Odonata is one of the most conspicuous insect groups which allure attention with their beautiful colours and inconceivable flight skill. When observed closer, their life history is more enticing. Read more
Land monitors (Sinhalese: Thalagoya) have an impressive habitation range, being found even in the highly urbanised areas of Sri Lanka – they are not an uncommon site in Colombo and its suburbs – despite that jungle being of the concrete variety. These adaptable lizards may grow up to 6 feet (180cm) long even in inhospitable environments such as drains and sewers below the asphalt roads of the big city. Although not a protected species in Sri Lanka, the hunting and killing of Land Monitors in the cities is minimum, as they are hardly an invasive species, and will generally stay away from humans. They are, however, known to prey on smaller mammals such as rats and mice, helping control the levels of vermin in populated areas. The downside of this is that they might hunt smaller pets – puppies, kittens, rabbits, chickens etc. Read more
“There is no place on earth like the jungles, the wilderness and the exhilaration one feels when venturing into the underbrush. Yala National Park, one of the natural habitats in Sri Lanka, is home to the greatest diversity of living things – many species of animals, reptiles, birds and uniquely beautiful insects.” Read more
The Yala National Park is usually at its driest in May, but the early months of 2016 have been unusually dry. Much of the water had gone dry, with small pools of mud remaining, where you might encounter water buffalos. These dry conditions forced elephants, deer, wild boar and other mammals to travel towards the Manik River, which itself was reduced to just a small stream. Read more
The Sri Lanka department of Wildlife Conservation recently published a list of the seven most iconic wild animals in the island as a way of promoting tourism and the conservation of all species in and outside this list.
Sri Lanka is somewhat of an outlier when it comes to biodiversity. Experts have been studying the biodiversity of this small island since the early 20th century, and all with good reason. The number of animal species in the island is said to be five times as much as it is supposed to be in an island of its size, and the number of endemic species in the country is amazing. From endemic birds to endemic primates, Sri Lanka has them all. The wonder of Sri Lanka – being such a small island – is that you don’t have to travel far to see any of them. Read more
