15 Safari Animals Found in Sri Lanka | The Star Animal List
Sri Lanka is a wildlife enthusiast's dream, and the safari animals found in Sri Lanka are renowned all over the globe. The beautiful island is also one of the finest all-around wildlife destinations globally. And with a diverse range of big game, marine life, and panoramas bundled into a small area with excellent tourist infrastructure, Safaris in Sri Lanka is remarkable.
Iconic Safari Animals Found in Sri Lanka — the Big List This tropical island is home to some of the best national parks in the subcontinent and a great variety of flora and wildlife. Sri Lanka is home to various species, including the stealthy leopard, the majestic elephant, the blue whale, and unique birds. Below is a list of the top safari animals found on this nature-filled island.
1. Sri Lankan Leopard
Without a doubt, the Sri Lankan leopard is a prime draw for both local and international wildlife lovers. Panthera Pardus Kotiya is a leopard subspecies only found in Sri Lanka.
2. Sri Lankan Elephant
The Sri Lankan subspecies are the darkest and biggest of the Asian elephants, with spots of depigmentation or no-skin-color areas on its trunk, ears, face, and belly.
3. Sri Lankan Sloth Bear
The sloth bear, Sri Lanka's sole member of the Ursidae family, lives in dry zone forest habitats. It has a shaggy, messy black coat.
4. Slender Lorises
In Sri Lanka, there are two types of lorises: the red slender loris and the grey slender loris. According to the most recent classification, the latter is unique to Sri Lanka, and both species have two subspecies.
5. Fishing Cat
The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized cat found across Sri Lanka. In 2008, the IUCN categorized it as a globally endangered species.
6. Blue Whales
Blue whales are the largest creatures that have ever lived on our planet. And if you ever needed another reason to visit Sri Lanka, this is it. Sri Lanka is well-known for its blue whale watching.
7. The Sperm Whale
Sperm whales are the world's biggest active predators, with males reaching over 20m (65ft) in length. Every March, massive numbers of sperm whales cluster in the deep seas northwest of Sri Lanka.
8. Domestic Water Buffalo
The domestic water buffalo, also known as the Asian water buffalo, is a big bovid native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
9. Chital
The Chital, also known as the Axis Deer or the Spotted Deer, is a common wild animal that you will encounter throughout your wildlife adventures in Sri Lanka. This species lives in shrublands, lowland dry forests, and savannas.
10. Golden Palm Civet
Golden palm civets are indigenous to Sri Lanka and present in various climatic zones, including wet zones, dry zones, intermediate zones, and cloud forests.
11. Sri Lankan Junglefowl
The Sri Lankan junglefowl is a species of the Galliformes bird order, and it's the national bird of Sri Lanka.
12. Purple Faced Langur
The purple-faced langur, or purple-faced leaf monkey, is an Old World monkey only found in Sri Lanka. The animal is a long-tailed arboreal species with a mainly brown look, a dark face with a lighter lower face, and a rather timid personality.
13. Gray Langur
Gray langurs, also known as Hanuman langurs, are the most common langurs on the Indian subcontinent. They are Old World monkeys that include the whole genus Semnopithecus.
14. Fregata Andrewsi
The Christmas Island frigatebird (Fregata Andrewsi) is a unique breeder of the frigatebird family. It has a huge, light-bodied seabird with brownish-black plumage, a forked tail, and long, narrow wings
15. Chettusia Gregarius
The cheerful lapwing, sometimes known as the sociable plover, is a severely endangered member of the lapwing family. The genus name comes from vannus, a winnowing fan, and is Medieval Latin for a lapwing.
Sri Lanka's Top 5 Best National Parks
The national parks of Sri Lanka are home to a diverse range of species and a wide variety of beautiful birds. Here are our favorite five parks to visit, ranging from Udawalawe National Park to Yala National Park:
1. Yala National Park
The most renowned and well-known park on the island is Yala National Park. Yala is leopard territory. Elephants, peacocks, and hundreds of other birds and animals wander freely in the wilderness.
2. Wilpattu National Park
Meaning "Land of Lakes," Wilpattu National Park lives up to its name since it has almost sixty of them. Because of these life-giving water bodies, fauna and flora thrive in the wet environment. And, as a result, a wide variety of animals call it their home.
3. Udawalawe National Park
Although a few hilly regions provide an all-embracing background to the spectacular landscape on display, lowlands and marshes dominate the Udawalawe National Park. While the park's natural appearance is appealing, visitors mostly visit to witness the Sri Lankan elephants that wander the flatlands.
4. Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park exists because of King Mahasen's efforts centuries ago! The area of a former irrigation tank, Minneriya's reservoir, and wetlands are now a biodiversity hotspot, with a wide variety of animals and birds.
5. Kumana National Park
Located on Sri Lanka's southeast coast, this park is a sanctuary for migrating birds that stopover in Kumana each year to rest. Massive flocks of wading birds and waterfowl dominate the skyline here. Such is the sheer quantity of them that flock to the park's lagoons and marshes.
