Elephants: Sri Lanka's Famous Giants

The ancient cultures of Sri Lanka's past are shrouded in the mists of time, and have been, more recently, overshadowed by the civil strife up north.

But through it all, the one constant has been the close relationship between the people of Sri Lanka and the ubiquitous elephant; so intimate, in fact, that the cultural history of this gentle island would be in tatters if not for "The Mighty Beast" (as referred to by the Greek historian Megasthenes in 300 BC).

Elephants - all but gone from the rest of Asia - still play a significant role in the working lives and culture of Sri Lankans. Elephants are a major attraction throughout the island and are a regular sight, whether as a working animal or as a wild specimen.

Ever since the arrival of the Sinhalese from mainland India led by Prince Vijaya some 2,500 years ago, the Buddhist tenet of preserving nature has been earnestly practised throughout Sri Lanka, regardless of what winds of political fortune blew.

As such, there are 12 national parks taking up a hefty chunk of this small island (which is just over half the size of Peninsular Malaysia). Sadly, only four of these are open to tourism due to security concerns.

Of these, the most impressive must certainly be the Yala National Park in the 'dry zone' abutting the south-east coast. Here in the Dry Zone, you would be forgiven for thinking you had stumbled onto an African plain. The dry land is covered in acacia scrub and is the ideal habitat for over 200 wild elephants.

Here, the elephants live in tight-knit family herds of no more than 15, headed by an elderly female. Although elephant family ties are strong, it is common for ageing males to exile themselves from the herd so that the females only mate with the virile younger males.

Safaris run into the park help defray the cost of wildlife management. Even so, drought, disease or overpopulation which occur regularly require a helping hand from the government.

Orphaned, stray, or otherwise 'affected' elephants, young and old, are given sanctuary in a natural habitat at the government-run Pinnawella Elephant orphanage 80 km from the capital of Colombo.

Baby elephants are reared here and are trained to eventually become working animals. Mahout trainers work with them daily, teaching them any combination of over 50 physical and vocal signals needed to be productive working elephants. Once they master these, most will be placed in the logging industry.

Feeding and bathing time in the river provide the best opportunities for visitors to admire these massive yet nimble animals close-up. The best times to go are 10AM and 2PM. After romping in the water and having a long drink, the elephants then powder themselves with dust to prevent insect bites and head back through the nearby village back to 'class'.