ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE AT PINNAWALA

Since then, 40 more were born healthy expect one orthopedic and one born dead. The better environment appropriate for demeanor of elephants is a significance of this area. The orphanage is adjacent to Maha Oya River. Thus, elephant bath has become a main attraction for both local and foreign tourists.

The everyday scene of young and adult elephants conduct in group to the river for bathing is a sympathetic view. Pinnawala elephant orphanage is included with all the facilities needed for tourists, and it is open to the public daily.

The elephant orphanage can be approached by turning 82nd km post in Colombo-Kandy route. It is 10 km north-west of Kegalle town and very close to Rambukkana town. By train it is just 2 km from Rambukkana railway station. The orphanage was established in 1975 in a 7 ha coconut plantation. It is the first elephant orphanage established in Sri Lanka. Besides, it is also used as a breeding centre of elephants, which belong to the National Zoo in Sri Lanka. A branch of National Zoo is also presently available right next to the orphanage.

In present, the orphanage is home to over 60 elephants including both male and female elephants. Instead of elephants are brought here from various regions found abandoned by their mothers or displaced from their wild habitat. The elephant orphanage has become a tourist attraction and a resort popular among local and foreign tourists and nature lovers unto now.

At the time it was finally settled the orphanage had 7 baby elephants and now it is developed unto the happiness of seeing births occurring. First it was planned to attract tourists. But in time these aspirations were changed into a greater intention to feed, nurse and house elephants while providing space to study elephants. Later, Pinnawala elephant orphanage has turned in to a breeding ground of jumbos with subsidies of local and foreign donators. The first birth at Pinnawala was in 1984, “Sukumalee” a female was born to “Vijaya” and Kumaree”. Over 40 baby elephants have been born in the orphanage unto now. Year by year the number of orphans and breeding are rapidly increasing.