Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo) in Sri Lanka


Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo)
Typezoo
Owner
Founded1937
First elephant arrived1937
Address Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha
Zip-code 94 1 71275
Place Dehiwala, Colombo
Country Sri Lanka
Website Website
FacebookFacebook
Directors 2020-2021: Ishini Wickremesinghe (director)
-2020: Dammika Malsinghe (director)
2010-2012: Bashwara Gunaratne (director)
-2010: Duminda Jayaratne (director)
-1985: Bradley Fernando (assistant director)
1962-1985: Lyn de Alwis (director)
: Anoma Priyadarshani (director)
: H.A.N.T. Perera (director)
: K. D. R. N. Wijesinghe (director)
1985: Bradley Fernando (director)
2011: Renuka Bandaranayaka (assistant director)
2012: Anura de Silva (director)
2021: Shermila Rajapaksha (director)
2022: Thilak Premakantha (director)
Key People 1936-1962: Aubrey Weinman (superintendent)
1955-1962: Lyn de Alwis (zoologist)
1996: Lyn de Alwis (consultant)
Veterinarians: Madusha Perera (veterinarian)
Elephant department
Head keepers
of elephants		 -: R. Wimalasena
(chief mahout)
Elephant keepers 1984-1996: Piyadasa (mahout)
1978-1981: K. G. Sumanabanda (mahout)
1968-1970: K. G. Sumanabanda (apprentice keeper)
Record history
History of updates2025-03-10:
Latest document update2025-03-10 05:54:25
Google map
Description

Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo), located at Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, in Dehiwala, Colombo, Sri Lanka , was founded in 1937 and the first elephant arrived in 1937.

Living elephants

At the Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo) lives 6 elephants with records in this database: (detail list)
  1. ♀ Devi
  2. ♀ Indi born 1978
  3. ♀ Kema (Khema) born 2001
  4. ♀ Madhavi born 2005
  5. ♀ Namalee
  6. ⚪ Trinki born 2011-03-17

Comments / picturesJohn Hagenbeck, halfbrother to Carl Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany, established the Ceylon Zoological Gardens Company at Dehiwela, which was liquidated 1936. Some sources state the zoo was confiscated as enemy property, and in 1937 renamed to Dehivela Zoological Gardens. But the records from Ceylon administration report for 1937 state it was bought in 1936-07-01 for 15 000 Rupees.

The first elephant show was in 1947. Bandula the oldest male elephant was brought to the zoo in 1949.

Elephant exports:
1950: 6 elephants.
1952: 2 elephants exported to Rotterdam Zoo. (Rayah?)

In the 80s Dehivela exhibited a Dwarf elephant with the name Mali

The African elephant Jora was brought from Botswana together with a female Nandipa around 1995.

References for records about Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo)

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2025). Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo), Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=37. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:


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Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo) on elephant-news.com

Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo) is mentioned on Elephant News:

DateLinks which opens in new window
2009-10-31‘must jumbo’ at dehivela zoo becomes restless - Elephant News
2020-09-07Responding to decision to move dep. of zoological gardens under ministry of tourism - Elephant News
2021-09-09Sri lanka national zoological gardens dg resigned over elephant issue: union - Elephant News
2022-09-23Iconic elephant ‘bandula’ dies at dehiwala zoo - Elephant News


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