Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo), located at Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, in Dehiwala, Colombo, in Sri Lanka, was founded in 1937 and the first elephant arrived in 1937.
At Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo) lives 7 elephants with records in this database: (detail list)
John 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. Elephant exports: 1950: 6 elephants. 1952: 2 elephants exported to Rotterdam Zoo. (Rayah?)
