Tikiri (elephant)

Tikiri (Sinhala: ටිකිරි) (1949 – 2019) was a female Sri Lankan elephant and one of the oldest Asian elephants belonging to Sri Lanka. She was one of the elephants which worked as a casket bearer of the Kandy Esala Perahera and was often forced to march at the Perehera which is annually.[1] She was believed to be the second oldest Asian elephant from Sri Lanka after Heiyantuduwa Raja. Tikiri died on 24 September 2019 aged 70 in Kegalle after confronting with illness.[2][3] During her lifetime, she was used for mainly tourists trekking and for the religious festivals.

Tikiri
SpeciesSri Lankan elephant
SexFemale
Born1949
Died24 September 2019 (aged about 70)
Kegalle District
Notable roleMain casket bearer of the Kandy Esala Perahera
Years active? – 2019 in captivity

Earlier in 2019, the images of the weakened elephant posted by Save the Elephant founder Lek Chailert which featured the skeletal went viral on social media.[4] The authorities faced criticsm and backlash over the lack of compliance regarding the maintenance of the ill-fated elephant and alleged the authorities for torturing the old elephant by forcing it to march at annual Perehera festivals.[5]

References
  1. "Emaciated 70-year-old Sri Lankan elephant dies". 2019-09-25. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  2. "Emaciated elderly elephant dies after '70 years a slave'". Metro. 2019-09-24. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  3. "70-Year-Old Frail Elephant In Sri Lanka Whose Photos Sparked Outrage Dies". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  4. "Beloved elephant Tikiri dies in Sri Lanka after being forced to perform for decades". The Independent. 2019-09-25. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  5. "Elephant whose emaciated appearance sparked international outrage has died, charity says". CNN. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
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