Pinnawela elephant orphanage has existed since 1975 and has grown to become
one of the most popular attractions of Sri Lanka.
Before the arrival of the British in 1815 an estimated 30,000 elephants
lived on the island. In the 1960s, the elephant population was close to
extinction. This prompted the Sri Lankan government to found an orphanage
for elephants that had lost their mothers or herds. Today, their number
is around 3,000.
Pinnawela, about 80 km northeast of Colombo, is regarded as the biggest
herd of captive elephants in the world. Among the elephants is one that
lost a foot when it stepped on a mine. Another is blind and is totally reliant
on humans. The elephant herd in Pinnawela makes the journey to the river
twice a day to bathe under the eyes of the tourists. For a few Sri Lankan
rupees they are allowed to touch the animals. The sound of cameras clicking
increases everytime one of the young elephant babies splashes about in the
water. But anyone who wants to take a picture of the babies feeding in the
orphanage has to pay extra for the privilege.
Some 110 people are employed to care for the herd feeding them with leaves
from palm trees. About 14,000 kg of food are needed every day. The Pinnawela
elephant orphanage is financed by the government and by charging visitors
to see the animals.
There are only a few elephant orphanages in the world. Pinnawela has now
become one of the bigger orphanages and is quite well known world wide.
In 1978 the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was taken over by the National
Zoological Gardens from the Department of Wildlife and a captive breeding
program launched in 1982. When the zoo took over there were twelve animals
five of whom were babies. In time more baby elephants were added to the
original herd of five. It was observed that though older females could be
added it was not possible to add older males to the herd.
1997 there were 52 animals of which there 10 were babies under 3 years
of age. There were five mahouts for the twelve elephants when the orphanage
was taken over 1978 and now there are twenty mahouts. This number is inadequate
to manage the increasing and growing number of elephants.
Elephant Wildlife Tour, Sri Lanka Wildlife - Reservation Form
