The sashimi-loving, Sri Lankan aunty of Wilpattu

Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis)
Wilpattu National Park

They dined on mice, and slices of fish, 
Which they ate with a feet spoon; 
And wing in wing, on the edge of the trees, 
They watched by the light of the moon, 
The moon, 
The moon, 
They watched by the light of the moon.

Fun Facts
Ever wondered what that dark silhouette is, silently watching you from afar, and possibly judging your every move? The brown fish owl’s unmistakable yellow circles in their eyes, which stand out like the moon in the night sky, lives to stalk and idiomatically-speaking, watches you like a hawk!

Lesser-known Facts
The brown fish owl is endemic to Sri Lanka and can be found watching in wildlife parks and jungles, but has also been spotted people-watching in residential areas on rare occasions. Named after its primary diet, the brown fish owl loves its raw fish and hunts by gliding over the water and grabbing a bento box with its feet! Not too picky, it also enjoys appetisers of rodents and other small creatures.

Whereabouts
A small population in National Parks make this bird an especially rare sighting, although perhaps it sees you more and not vice versa! If you know where to look, you might catch them on matured tree branches where the land is free from vegetation. Our Eco Team Naturalists have recorded them tourist-watching around each of our campsites at Yala, Udawalawe and Wilpattu.

Doe: a deer, a dancing deer of Horton Plains

Sri Lankan Sambar Deer
Horton Plains National Park

Fun Facts
When you see Sri Lankan sambar dancing around, they aren’t communicating a secret message via scent marking and foot stamping, but simply playing in the rain! Prancing around the hills – a fun dance number of antlers, hooves, and legs – these dancing queens and kings are the most frequent sightings of wildlife at Horton Plains National Park.

Lesser-known Facts
When sparring (a dance battle!) with rival males, sambar lock antlers and push, like other deer, but uniquely, they also sometimes stand on their hind legs and clash downward into each other. Females also fight on their hind legs and use their forelegs to hit each other on the head as a grand finale!

Whereabouts
Watch them in the wet lowlands, hill country and the mid-hills, throughout Yala, Udawalawe, Wilpattu, Horton Plains, Kumana, and Sri Pada Peak Wilderness Sanctuary.

The party animal of Kalawewa

Tusker Neela
Kalawewa National Park

Fun Facts
Of the local male elephant population, only seven percent are tuskers – a trait that makes female elephants swoon! Even though Kalawewa boasts a high concentration of tuskers in Sri Lanka, Neela’s tall, dark and handsome features brings all the girls to the Park, preferring him over others! Possibly the most famous elephant in Kalawewa National Park, the young and playful tusker is in his prime, scaring off other males and stealing their girlfriends.

Whereabouts
Spot him inside the imposing ecosystem around Kalawewa and Balalu Wewa Tanks, which adorn the 6000-hectare Kalawewa National Park.