KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of any country

Learn the wildlife of Sri Lanka

Asia

7,103 species have research-grade observations in Sri Lanka on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you can learn a country's wildlife from home.

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus2,160
  2. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis2,024
  3. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus1,722
  4. Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis1,644
  5. Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii1,573
  6. Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer1,481
  7. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala1,404
  8. Yellow-billed Babbler Argya affinis1,381
  9. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus1,360
  10. Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis1,307

Plants

  1. Crown flower Calotropis gigantea401
  2. Sri Lankan pitcher plant Nepenthes distillatoria390
  3. Sensitive Plant Mimosa pudica369
  4. Common lantana Lantana camara287
  5. Coconut palm Cocos nucifera252
  6. Tree Rhododendron Rhododendron arboreum236
  7. Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus219
  8. Bamboo Orchid Arundina graminifolia218
  9. Common water hyacinth Pontederia crassipes217
  10. Fish Poison Tree Barringtonia asiatica215

Mammals

  1. Toque Macaque Macaca sinica2,774
  2. Asian Elephant Elephas maximus2,426
  3. Three-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum1,882
  4. Tufted Gray Langur Semnopithecus priam1,832
  5. Chital Axis axis1,472
  6. Purple-faced Langur Semnopithecus vetulus1,168
  7. Indian Flying Fox Pteropus medius963
  8. Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura865
  9. Ruddy Mongoose Urva smithii781
  10. Leopard Panthera pardus709

Insects

  1. Pied Paddy Skimmer Neurothemis tullia855
  2. Asian Weaver Ant Oecophylla smaragdina826
  3. White Four Ring Ypthima ceylonica693
  4. Chalky Percher Diplacodes trivialis585
  5. Sandalwood defoliator Amata passalis529
  6. Common Sailer Neptis hylas429
  7. Common Crow Euploea core410
  8. Ditch Jewel Brachythemis contaminata396
  9. Blue Tiger Tirumala limniace381
  10. Common Palmfly Elymnias hypermnestra362

Spiders and kin

  1. Giant Golden Orbweaver Nephila pilipes550
  2. Pantropical Huntsman Spider Heteropoda venatoria511
  3. Common Housefly Catcher Plexippus petersi290
  4. Asian Hermit Spider Nephilengys malabarensis265
  5. Oriental Spiny Orb-weaver Gasteracantha geminata263
  6. Red Weaver Ant-mimicking Spider Myrmaplata plataleoides259
  7. Banded Phintella Phintella vittata223
  8. Jade Jumping Spider Siler semiglaucus147
  9. Heavy-bodied Jumper Hyllus semicupreus140
  10. Signature Spider Argiope anasuja108

Reptiles

  1. Indian Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor3,100
  2. Bengal Monitor Varanus bengalensis2,430
  3. Common Green Forest Lizard Calotes calotes1,978
  4. Mugger Crocodile Crocodylus palustris1,572
  5. Sri Lanka Kangaroo Lizard Otocryptis wiegmanni1,468
  6. Common Water Monitor Varanus salvator1,422
  7. Hump Snout Lizard Lyriocephalus scutatus802
  8. Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus727
  9. Long-nosed Whipsnake Ahaetulla nasuta635
  10. Indian Black Turtle Melanochelys trijuga544

Amphibians

  1. Asian Common Toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus983
  2. Common Hourglass Tree Frog Polypedates cruciger636
  3. Chunam Tree Frog Polypedates maculatus488
  4. Common Paddy Field Frog Minervarya agricola408
  5. Common skittering frog Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis384
  6. Indian Five-fingered Frog Phrynoderma hexadactylum352
  7. Common Shrub Frog Pseudophilautus popularis346
  8. Günther's Golden-backed Frog Hylarana temporalis281
  9. Sri Lanka wood frog Hylarana gracilis226
  10. Painted Globular Frog Uperodon taprobanicus223

Fish

  1. Striped Rasbora Rasbora dandia145
  2. Ceylon Logsucker Garra ceylonensis99
  3. Ceylonese Combtail Gourami Belontia signata98
  4. Striped Surgeonfish Acanthurus lineatus94
  5. Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish Chaetodon decussatus80

Mollusks

  1. African Giant Snail Lissachatina fulica579
  2. Giant Land Snail Acavus phoenix387
  3. Two-Striated Ariophanta Ariophanta exilis162
  4. Sri Lanka Green Snail Beddomea albizonata144
  5. Brown Slug Mariaella dussumieri143
  6. Ratnadvipia irradians124

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.