A wild Asian elephant mother and calf walking across a clearing in Yala

Elephas maximus maximus

Asian Elephant in Yala

Around 350 in Yala, herds all year in Udawalawe, and between 15 and 60 in Bundala depending on the season.

In Yala: About 350
In Bundala: 15–60, seasonal
Best park: Udawalawe, all year
Best hours: Late afternoon at water

Yala holds roughly 350 elephants, and a drive rarely passes without one. Bulls work the tracks alone; breeding herds stay near water and move with the rain.

Udawalawe is the certainty. Open grassland around a large reservoir means the herds are visible almost every day of the year, which is why we send cruise passengers there when they have one morning ashore.

In Bundala numbers swing between about 15 and 60 depending on the season, with December the strongest month.

Where to look

Reservoir edges and open pans in the afternoon; forest tracks in the early morning.

How often it is seen

Seen on almost every drive

From our jeeps

Asian Elephant photographed on our safaris

Two wild elephants sheltering a young calf in a green clearing in Yala National Park — A family herd with a calf

A wild elephant mother walking with her calf across a grassy clearing in Yala — Mother and calf

Two wild elephants dusted with red earth standing at the forest edge in Yala National Park — Red dust, forest edge

A wild Asian elephant walking past scrub forest in Yala National Park — Close pass in the scrub

A lone elephant drinking at a rock pool among the granite outcrops of Yala National Park — A rock pool in the dry season

See the full gallery

Also in the park

Keep looking.

Sri Lankan Leopard Sloth Bear Crocodiles