Mammals of Sri Lanka

Every mammals in the Wildlife of Sri Lanka guide: 87 species, grouped by family or group. Each name opens its page with photos, identification notes, habitat and range.

Elephants

• Asian Elephant Elephas maximus

Cats

• Leopard Panthera pardus
• Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus
• Jungle Cat Felis chaus
• Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus

Bears, Dogs & Otters

• Golden Jackal Canis aureus
• Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus
• Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra

Civets & Mongooses

• Ruddy Mongoose Urva smithii
• Indian Grey Mongoose Urva edwardsii
• Stripe-necked Mongoose Urva vitticollis
• Indian Brown Mongoose Urva fusca
• Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica
• Northern Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
• Golden Palm Civet Paradoxurus zeylonensis

Monkeys & Lorises

• Toque Macaque Macaca sinica
• Tufted Gray Langur Semnopithecus priam
• Purple-faced Langur Semnopithecus vetulus
• Grey Slender Loris Loris lydekkerianus
• Red Slender Loris Loris tardigradus

Deer, Buffalo & Pigs

• Chital Axis axis
• Sambar Rusa unicolor
• Wild Water Buffalo Bubalus arnee
• Wild Boar Sus scrofa
• Northern Red Muntjac Muntiacus vaginalis
• White-spotted Chevrotain Moschiola meminna
• Yellow-striped Chevrotain Moschiola kathygre

Whales & Dolphins

• Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris
• Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus
• Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops aduncus
• Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus
• Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus
• Orca Orcinus orca
• Bryde's Whale Balaenoptera brydei
• Pantropical Spotted Dolphin Stenella attenuata
• False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidens
• Eden's Whale Balaenoptera edeni
• Indian Humpback Dolphin Sousa plumbea
• Short-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala macrorhynchus
• Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides

Squirrels & Rodents

• Three-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum
• Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura
• Dusky Palm Squirrel Funambulus obscurus
• Layard's Palm Squirrel Funambulus layardi
• Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica
• Common Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista philippensis
• Indian Gerbil Tatera indica
• Black Rat Rattus rattus
• Greater Bandicoot-rat Bandicota indica
• Asian Long-tailed Climbing Mouse Vandeleuria oleraceus
• Indian Bush Rat Golunda ellioti
• Common Indian Field Mouse Mus booduga
• Travancore Flying Squirrel Petinomys fuscocapillus
• Mayor's Mouse Mus mayori
• White-tailed Wood Rat Madromys blanfordi

Pangolins, Hares & Shrews

• Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis
• Thick-tailed Pangolin Manis crassicaudata
• Asian House Shrew Suncus murinus
• Pearson's Long-clawed Shrew Solisorex pearsoni
• Asian Highland Shrew Suncus montanus
• Horsfield's Shrew Crocidura horsfieldii
• Jungle Shrew Suncus zeylanicus
• Pygmy White-toothed Shrew Suncus etruscus
• Sinharaja White-toothed Shrew Crocidura hikmiya

Bats

• Indian Flying Fox Pteropus medius
• Rufous Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus rouxii
• Schneider's Roundleaf Bat Hipposideros speoris
• Lesser False Vampire Bat Megaderma spasma
• Leschenault's Rousette Rousettus leschenaultii
• Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx
• Beddome's Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus beddomei
• Black-bearded Tomb Bat Taphozous melanopogon
• Hipposideros srilankaensis Hipposideros srilankaensis
• Indian Roundleaf Bat Hipposideros lankadiva
• Bare-rumped Sheath-tailed Bat Saccolaimus saccolaimus
• Lesser Short-nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus brachyotis
• Painted Bat Kerivoula picta
• Dusky Roundleaf Bat Hipposideros ater
• Greater False Vampire Bat Lyroderma lyra
• Kelaart's Pipistrelle Alionoctula ceylonica
• Least Pipistrelle Alionoctula tenuis
• Phillips's Long-fingered Bat Miniopterus phillipsi
• Round-eared Tube-nosed Bat Murina cyclotis
• Tickell's Bat Hesperoptenus tickelli
• Greater Asian Yellow Bat Scotophilus heathii
• Lesser Asian Yellow Bat Scotophilus kuhlii
• Long-winged Tomb Bat Taphozous longimanus

Frequently asked questions

How many mammals are in the Wildlife of Sri Lanka guide?

The guide lists 87 mammals of Sri Lanka, each with its own page covering identification, habitat and range.

Which groups of mammals are covered?

Elephants (1), Cats (4), Bears, Dogs & Otters (3), Civets & Mongooses (7), Monkeys & Lorises (5), Deer, Buffalo & Pigs (7), Whales & Dolphins (13), Squirrels & Rodents (15), Pangolins, Hares & Shrews (9), Bats (23).