Endemic Animals of Sri Lanka

Threatened Species: The following list includes all mammals which occur in Sri Lanka and are rated as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU) in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. 

• Critically Endangered:
  • Nillu Rat (Rattus montanus). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.)
• Endangered:
  • Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus).
  • Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus).
  • Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus).
  • Jungle Shrew (Suncus zeylanicus). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.)
  • Kelaart's Long-clawed Shrew (Feroculus feroculus). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.)
  • Pearson's Long-clawed Shrew (Solisorex pearsoni). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.)
  • Purple-faced Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus vetulus). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.) 
  • Sri Lankan Long-tailed Shrew (Crocidura miya). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.)
  • Sri Lanka Shrew (Suncus fellowsgordoni). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.)
• Vulnerable:
  • Dhole (Cuon alpinus). 
  • Dugong (Dugong dugon).
  • Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra). 
  • Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus).
  • Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).
  • Nolthenius's Long-tailed Climbing Mouse (Vandeleuria nolthenii). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.)
  • Rusty-spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus).
  • Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus).
  • Slow Loris (Loris tardigradus).
  • Sperm Whale (Physeter catodon).
  • Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura).
  • Sri Lankan Highland Shrew (Suncus montanus).
  • Toque Macaque (Macaca sinica). (Endemic to Sri Lanka.) 

    Sri Lanka is a birds paradise with 435 resident species. There are 26 endemic birds. Most of them are found in the wet zone. The winter migrants come from distant Siberia and western Europe. The reservoirs attract vast number of water birds. The forests attract many other species.  There are many birds sanctuaries across the little island 270 km by 140 km in size.

    Kumana is situated in east Coast, Bundala, Kalamatiya are is in the southern coast, Sinharaja Rain Forest, Udawatta Kale, Bellanwila, Muthurajawela, Minneriya, Kitulgala and Minipe are other important Bird watching locations. In additions you can see birds through out the country in pockets of forests, lakes, lagoons and river sides during  your travel.