National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka Sri Lankan National Zoo

I visited the zoo last Friday (20th of December) for the last time this year. After not visiting for a few months, I was surprised to see that many species had been shuffled around and a significant number of enclosures were blocked off for renovation. The zoo has not made any official announcements about these changes. Here are some key observations from my visit:
  1. Macaw Aviary: The old Macaw aviary has been closed, and all the macaws have been relocated to the aviary opposite the Arabian oryx and black swans. This aviary was built on the site of the former Grizzled giant squirrel and ring-tailed lemur cages. Before the macaws moved in, it housed white peafowl, rose-ringed parakeets, and Alexandrine parakeets.

  2. Malabar Pied Hornbills: These have been moved into the old Eclectus parrot aviary, while the white peafowl have taken up residence in the former hornbill aviary.

  3. Camel in an Aviary: The aviary purpose-built for housing macaws is now home to the zoo's single male Bactrian camel—possibly the only place in the world where you can see a camel in an aviary.

  4. Sri Lankan Grey Hornbills: These have been moved from their small side aviary in the native bird walkthrough to the main walkthrough aviary.

  5. Capybara Enclosure: The capybaras have been relocated from the otter enclosure to their own purpose-built enclosure near the hippos.

  6. Primate Enclosure Renovations: Half of the old primate cages have been boarded up. The enclosures for the grey langurs, lar gibbons, and the main silvery lutung enclosure have been demolished. However, the lemur island in the center remains untouched. A sign indicates that the renovations will take 150 days and cost approximately 26.5 million rupees. For now, the lutung troop has been moved to the old capuchin enclosure, while the gibbons are temporarily housed in the former Japanese macaque enclosure.

  7. Hippos: I could only spot three common hippos: two in the new enclosure and one near the elephants.

  8. Hog Deer: A single male hog deer has been moved in with the blackbuck, nilgai, and sika deer.

  9. Barking Deer: Indian muntjac have been relocated to the former sloth bear enclosure, while the sloth bears have been moved backstage.

  10. Komodo Dragon: The Komodo dragon enclosure has been partially demolished. The dragon is now housed in a makeshift enclosure in front of the old chimpanzee separation cages.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the zoo undergoing so much construction.
 
Kestrel said:
Camel in an Aviary: The aviary purpose-built for housing macaws is now home to the zoo's single male Bactrian camel—possibly the only place in the world where you can see a camel in an aviary.
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I visited the zoo at the beginning of December when in Sri Lanka and laughed out loud when I got to this exhibit. I jokingly said to my wife something a long the lines of "Nothing to see here, just a typical aviary with a camel in it."
 
The last Orangutan in Sri Lanka passed away recently. 15 year old male orangutan Sakifo passed away suddenly after suffering from a stomach ailment. Born at the zoo in 2009 Sakifo made history as the first Sumatran orang-utan to be born at the Dehiwala Zoo. Sakifo’s parents, Aki (mother) and Ufo (father) arrived in Sri Lanka in 2003 through an animal exchange programme with Indonesia’s Rangunan Zoo.
Dehiwala Zoo Mourns the Loss of Its Last Orangutan
 
Kestrel said:
The last Orangutan in Sri Lanka passed away recently. 15 year old male orangutan Sakifo passed away suddenly after suffering from a stomach ailment. Born at the zoo in 2009 Sakifo made history as the first Sumatran orang-utan to be born at the Dehiwala Zoo. Sakifo’s parents, Aki (mother) and Ufo (father) arrived in Sri Lanka in 2003 through an animal exchange programme with Indonesia’s Rangunan Zoo.
Dehiwala Zoo Mourns the Loss of Its Last Orangutan
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Sad. I unfortunately did not see Sakifo when I was there at the end of November, which I assumed was just because he was inside as it was alternating between no rain and torrential downpour, but this may have had something to do with it.
 
NSU42 said:
Sad. I unfortunately did not see Sakifo when I was there at the end of November, which I assumed was just because he was inside as it was alternating between no rain and torrential downpour, but this may have had something to do with it.
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I did see Sakifo on the 20th of December in his exhibit when I visited. He was seated in the door way to the backstage area with his back facing the exhibit. He may have been sick at the time but I am not sure.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I expect the Cuban crocodile was a pure-bred one. As it stands the crocodile would be of significant value to any natural history collection as well as for the purposes of charting the genetics of the Cuban crocodile.
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As far as I know the crocodile was a diplomatic gift from Cuba during the second premiership of Sirimavo Bandaranaike which was in the 1970s. At the time Sri Lanka had close ties with Cuba and were both members of the Non-aligned movement. Sri Lanka was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba soon after Fidel Castro took power in 1959.
 
Kestrel said:
The last Orangutan in Sri Lanka passed away recently. 15 year old male orangutan Sakifo passed away suddenly after suffering from a stomach ailment. Born at the zoo in 2009 Sakifo made history as the first Sumatran orang-utan to be born at the Dehiwala Zoo. Sakifo’s parents, Aki (mother) and Ufo (father) arrived in Sri Lanka in 2003 through an animal exchange programme with Indonesia’s Rangunan Zoo.
Dehiwala Zoo Mourns the Loss of Its Last Orangutan
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Any information on post mortem findings in both the male Safiko and his parents Ufo and Aki?
How old were Ufo and Aki when both passed away and when did they ...?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Any information on post mortem findings in both the male Safiko and his parents Ufo and Aki?
How old were Ufo and Aki when both passed away and when did they ...?
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So here's a little time line of the Sumatran orangutans at Dehiwala zoo;

1998 : Aki (F) born at Rangunan Zoo
1999: Ufo (M) born at Rangunan Zoo
2003: Aki and Ufo transfered to Dehiwala Zoo
2010: Sakifo (M) born to Aki (F) and Ufo (M)
2017: Richie (F) born to Aki (F) and Ufo (M)
07 / 2021: 2 Orangutans test positive for Covid-19
12 / 2021: Aki (F) passes away aged 23 (Death not publicised)
04 / 2022: Richie (F) passes away (Drowned in the moat of the exhibit)
04 / 2022 - 01 2022: Ufo passes away aged 23 -26 (Death not publicised)
01 / 2025: Sakifo passes away (stomach ailment)
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I just stumbled upon this 2023 animal exchange deal between Dehiwala Zoo and Thailand. Under this deal 3 southern cassowary were transported from Thailand to Dehiwala.

The article alludes to various animal species being sent in exchange without giving any specifics: monkeys, junglefowl as well as some snake species.

Source: Double-wattled Cassowary: Thailand sends three birds to Sri Lanka
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That is correct 2 males and 1 female arrived to join the zoo's existing pair via Malaysia. This was in exchange for Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain, purple-faced leaf monkeys, toque macaques, Sri Lankan junglefowl, and several snake species. I am not sure if these species have been transferred to Thailand yet or not.

Flat headed cat may know more.
 
In a recent press release the new Director General of the Department of National Zoological Gardens, Dr Rajapaksalage Chandana Rajapaksa stated that the zoo was awaiting the arrival of a pair of Himalayan brown bears (Ursus arctos isabellinus) slender tailed meerkats (Suricata suricatta) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) from Capital zoo in United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the bears and the meerkats will be exhibited at the zoo, the hyenas will make their way to the Ridiyagama Safari Park.

He also stated that the zoo was also expecting the arrival of 2 giraffes and 3 Chapman Zebra later on this year and that the zoo was currently negotiating the acquisition of 2 Orangutans.

In the same press release he mentioned that the zoo had gotten 3 pairs of ring tail lemur, 2 pairs of capybara, 2 wallabies and 2 reticulated pythons from Green Zoological Gardens, in India in exchange for 2 pairs toque macaques, 2 pairs of purple faced langur, a pair of black palm civets, a pair of giant squirrels, a pair of pygmy hippopotamus, a pair of water monitors, 2 pairs of Sri Lankan green pit vipers, 2 pairs of hard shell terrapins, a pair of hump-nosed lizards, and a pair of Sri Lankan Kraits. Apart from that, 3 pairs of spot-billed pelican, 2 pairs each of jungle fowl and mouse dear, have also to be sent to foreign zoos under animal exchange programmes.

Zoo awaits more animals, while sprucing up the environs

 
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