Tribute to Walagamba The King of Elephants

Saturday, 1 February 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The mighty tusker Walagamba named after the great king is the largest tusker/elephant I have ever encountered. It is difficult to explain how immense this elephant truly is unless he stands next to another of its own kind. He towers above the females like a colossus and my estimation is that he is at least 10.5-11 feet at the shoulder.

The first encounter with him was during my first visit to Kalawewa during August 2011. It was the dry season and the waters of the great lake have receded, resulting in the sprouting of green grass on the lake bed. These succulent grasses are a boon to the elephants who visit this lake every year. The Kalawewa herd is unique in the fact of the high number of tuskers found among them. The largest and most dominant of them all is of course my favourite – Walagamba.

What I truly like about the tusker is the fact that, he knows he is big and that he is dominant, and he strides about the herd with the swagger and confidence that befits such a mighty beast. He is not overly aggressive or boisterous, but rather shows calm restraint. The herd knows and understands his awesome power, and it is clear in their behaviour. The females get excited and attempt to get close to him like he is a ‘rock star’ whilst the other males which include tuskers as well as big tusk-less bulls move aside with his arrival. I heard that there have been a few challengers to his throne in the past few years, by the likes of a single tusker named ‘Thani Dalaya’ who managed to injure Walagamba badly once, but according to

our guide, the king once again regained his dominant position the next year. Another challenger was a large tusk-less male with significant de- pigmentation around his face and body and hence was named ‘Kabaraya’. He was a very large male, and probably equally or surpassed Walagamba in size. His aggression tamed most of the tuskers, but as confirmed by witnesses he was no match for the king. Sadly the king hasn’t been sighted in Kalawewa in two years. Rumours were flying around that he is badly injured but nothing concrete. I fear the worst as the villagers of Kalawewa confirmed that he never missed to visit the lake every year. Thus I remain in hope that Walagamba, the king of all elephants, will once again return to his home in Kalawewa and stride across the plains like the colossus that he is. (Read more from Rajiv at www.wildlifediaries.blogspot.com. You can view his photography portfolio at www.flickr.com/photos/rajivw and contact him via email on [email protected].)