The Sri Lankan Elephant

critterscience posted a photo:

The beautiful Sri Lankan elephant is 1 of 3 recognized subspecies of Asian elephants. These magnificent beasts can be found in Sri Lanka in a wildlife reserve called the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. They prefer open savannas, open grasslands, forested regions, lake shores, and marsh lands. Due to the severely fragmented and decreasing populations, the Sri Lankan elephants are listed as Endangered by the IUCN. They suffer greatly at the hands of habitat destruction, competition with agriculture (cattle), invasive species, disease, and climate change.

First the Stats…

Scientific name: Elephas maximus maximus
Weight: Up to 12,000 lbs.
Length: Up to 21 feet
Height: Up to 11 feet
Lifespan: Up to 70 years

Now on to the Facts!

1.) Due to the construction of roads, they are unable to follow their traditional migratory routes.

2.) The Sri Lankan elephants can be differentiated from other Asian elephants by the depigmentation of their skin. Parts of their skin lack the grey coloration. This is found on their face, ears, trunk, and stomach.

3.) These highly social creatures have been seen in large matriarchal (led by a female) groups of up to 20+ elephants.

4.) As mentioned, these beasts are migratory creatures that travel along specific routes between the wet and dry seasons, as determined by the effects of the monsoon season.

5.) Due to increased agriculture, their routes have been interrupted.

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