The elephant orphanage of Pinnawela became a most pupular tourist destination. Situated near the banks of Maha Oya river in Kegalle Districs the elephant orphanage cares for the largest elephant herd held in captivity. It nurses many baby elephants and shelters injured adult animals, too. But babies have been born in this artificial herd, too, more than 50 since the start of the breeding prgramme in 1982.
Originally, the elephant orphanage was founded already in 1972, those days at the Wilpattu National Park, in 1976 it was relocated to a former coconut plantation in Pinnawela. Pinnawela offers opportunities to join the milk bottle feeding of baby elephants and see other elephant activities. The main attraction are the elephant bathes twice a day at the nearby Maha Oya river. From shadowy observation platforms you can see many dozens of female and juvenile elephants while enjoying breakfast or tea at the observation restaurant. The Pinnawela elephant orphanage also sells paper made of elephant dung called “pachyderm”. The production is said to commercially viable. |
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