Asian Elephant

Elephant (Elephas maximus)

We were able to ascertain the movement patterns for one major herd within the park system. Two other herds which were reasonably well known to us had their ranges partially mapped whereas the fourth could only be surveyed sporadically. Table 3 portrays the counts from those herds for which we have the best data. Three of the four herds spent at least part of the time in the West Sanctuary. We counted sixty-one individual animals and we estimate that roughly seventy animals, including some bulls that we may have missed, utilize the core national park area throughout most of the year. If we include the other protected areas, such as the entire West Sanctuary, the newly incorporated south intermediate zone, and the east intermediate zone, a reasonable figure for the total elephant population within the national park boundaries and associated protected areas would be at least twice as large or 140 to 150 elephants. In addition an unknown number of elephants in the vicinity of the south bank of the Kala Oya do cross over into the park and its associated intermediate zones and sanctuaries; hence, the overall population of elephants dependent in part on Wilpattu Park may be close to 200 animals.