The incredible elephant is one of the main reasons I chose Sri Lanka as my travelling destination this summer. This intelligent, beautiful animal has always intrigued me, and the opportunity to see them in the wild as well as up close was one not to be missed.
The Sri Lankan Elephant
The Sri Lankan elephant (elephas maximus maximus) is a subspecies of the Asian elephant (elephas maximus): the island existence of the former has allowed it to evolve independently. The Sri Lankan elephant is the largest of the Asian elephants, and generally demonstrates larger areas of depigmentation than its mainland cousin.
The Elephant in Antiquity
The difference in elephants between the mainland and the island was noted as far back as the world of antiquity, when the Greek philosopher Dionysus noted that the island known then as Taprobane was famed for its elephants, whereas Onesikritus of Astupalaia, a fleet commander of the forces of Alexander of Macedon (known more famously by his epithet of Alexander the Great) held the Sri Lankan elephant in high regard due to its greater size and belligerent temperament.
The Elephant as Punishment
One interesting fact that attests perhaps more to the belligerence of man rather than pachyderm is the use of elephants as a form of execution. Elephants, under command of their mahouts, would crush or impale a condemned prisoner as a form of execution. This act was described in Sri Lanka in the 17th century, when the island was enjoying its incarnation as Ceylon, by the captured sailor Captain Robert Knox. Knox spent two decades in captivity on the island, and wrote an account of his tribulations at this time (An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon, 1681).
The Modern Elephant
The biggest challenge facing the Sri Lankan elephant in modern times is shared habitation with local people: the elephant has a habit of destroying crops as it forages, understandably to the frustration of the Sri Lankan communities. A difficult situation to overcome, however the Sri Lankan Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS) are addressing this concern, and hopefully elephant and man can continue to live side by side for years to come.
