The Iconic Sri Lankan Elephants

What has been found so far? Sri Lankan elephants have comparatively small home ranges of about 50-200km2 (5,000-20,000ha). A home range is an area an animal lives in and which provides the resources it requires such as food, water, resting areas, mates etc. Some home ranges lie entirely within protected areas, while others are entirely or extend partly outside the boundaries of protected areas. Elephants are not territorial animals and do not defend territories, with home ranges of individual elephants or herds often overlapping. When male elephants reach adolescence they leave the herd they were born into and lead a largely solitary life. The home ranges of such adult males tend to be smaller than that of herds but may increase markedly during the period of musth. In some instances, adult males captured and moved from their home range and released in a protected area far away make their way back to where they were captured. Others after ranging widely may settle down in the new area. It is difficult to restrict such males to protected areas as they try very hard to get out and often succeed. Herds, which are composed of adult females and young do not appear to adapt well to being removed from their home range and being relocated and restricted to protected areas. In such cases high rates of morbidity and mortality are displayed.