Animals in Sri Lanka

                                               The Red Wattled Lapwing is a very common species of bird which could be found in most parts of the country. The popular phrase ‘ Did-he-do-it, pity-to-do-it’ is somewhat close to its loud cry, making it a very popular bird among our childhood. As the name itself suggests, it has a red wattle running downwards from its eyes. The red wattle, the black, white and brown colour body easily makes them identifiable. Lapwings are ground dwelling birds which are known to rest on trees at night. Their call at night from tree tops meant that some animal or human is approaching in the dark which was said to be very helpful to soldiers during the period of war in Sri Lanka. Lapwings feed on small insects, small fish and small reptiles which they could forage in the ground during daytime. They can be usually found in pairs or as small groups. Cricket pitches in Colombo are also home to these birds, as they need open ground to look for food while be

The Indian Star Tortoise is one of the slow moving reptiles in Sri Lanka. It’s considered as an agricultural pest in most parts of the island as it feeds upon cultivations. The term ‘Star‘applies to them because of the pattern of the shell. Tortoises are active during the day and can be seen foraging after rains. They are widely distributed among the dry zone. There are many varieties of star tortoises in Sri Lanka. Male Star Tortoises are comparatively smaller in size than females. The female tortoise lays round while eggs in a hole dug by her own back feet and buries them. The easiest way to differentiate between male and females is that the female has a flat belly while the male has a concave on the belly. This concave helps the male tortoise keep the balance when it climbs on top of the female during mating. These tortoises are not venomous and don’t usually bite humans nor cause any harm to humans. But they have teeth and can bite if provoked. They creep into their shell when th

The mole cricket is an insect which enters our houses during night times. It flies for some time, and then crawls along the floor. It has two very strong shovel-like legs to dig sand, as it lives underground. They fed on other insects and roots of plants, making them an agricultural pest. They are brown in colour and may be around one to two inches in length. Adult mole crickets have wings only during their breeding season, to fly away in search of a mate. It chirps a loud sound at night. These crickets are not venomous.                                          

Pill Milipedes are a type of Milipedes which are found in many parts across Sri Lanka. The colour varies from brown to black. They are known to curl up to a ball when frightened. These are creatures with exo-skeletons who roll for protection of their softer bellies. The exo-skeleton is made out of a protein which is quite hard and gives protection from predators. They have tiny legs, are slow moving and active mostly during the night. They feed on dead organic matter such as dead wood, dead leaves etc. They are known as ’Kithul Ataya ’ (= Kithul seed) as they look exactly like a Kithul seed in colour, shape and size when curled up. These insects are not venomous nor do they bite us. They are quite innocent and silent creatures which need to be left alone if you come across.                          

The Naked Truth About Us... Sri Lankans, no doubt from childhood are closely connected to nature and wildlife in where we used to use terms like 'Happa' or ' Kaiya ' in native laymen language to describe insects or animals in common as kids, especially when the name of the particular animal is unknown. Eventually we grew up to be adults but still, names of majority of animals in English and Sinhalese are still unknown to  most of us(Unless you are a wildlife enthusiast or researcher).  Then comes the other issue ! When kids ask as what the perticular animal is called as. in English and Sinhalese, we are dumbstruck and merely utter whatever the name comes to our mind. This is how wrong details are passed upon generations.  In here, I expect to correct these errors and provide the reader community with correct information on wildlife of our country.