The last kings of the wilderness: vanishing tuskers

In the vast dry-zone wilderness of Sri Lanka, where ancient reservoirs mirror crimson sunsets and monsoon winds whisper through forests untouched for centuries, there still roams a giant who has become both legend and symbol.

- By Ifham Nizam

Mahasen, one of Sri Lanka's most iconic wild tuskers, photographed during his majestic prime in 2014 and in 2020 as the ageing giant continues his struggle to survive in the island's shrinking wilderness.

(Rishani Gunasinghe)

His name is Mahasen — perhaps the most celebrated wild tusker Sri Lanka has ever known.

To wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, researchers, and villagers across the North Central Province, Mahasen is not merely an elephant. He is the living embodiment of Sri Lanka’s ancient wilderness, a reminder of a time when giant tuskers ruled the forests that surrounded the island’s great hydraulic civilisation.

Secretary and Chief Coordinator of Wild Tuskers of Sri Lanka, Chandika Lakmal, describes Mahasen as “one of the greatest living treasures of Sri Lanka’s natural heritage.”

“When people see Mahasen, they are not simply looking at a wild elephant,” he said.

“They are witnessing history, culture, ecology, and wilderness all combined into one magnificent animal. Tuskers like Mahasen are extremely rare, and losing such an elephant would mean losing a part of Sri Lanka’s identity itself.”

Sri Lanka has long shared a sacred bond with elephants. Ancient kings regarded tuskers as symbols of sovereignty and divine authority.

From the kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to the Kandyan era, elephants marched beside rulers during ceremonies and wars alike. Within Buddhist culture, elephants became revered symbols of strength, wisdom, and spiritual purity.

Yet among all elephants, the tusker has always occupied a special place.

Unlike African elephants, only a very small percentage of male Asian elephants develop tusks. This makes Sri Lankan tuskers exceptionally rare. Over centuries, they became deeply embedded in folklore, temple art, and village legends.

Mahasen stands today as perhaps the finest surviving example of that ancient legacy.