A place where humanity meets nature is Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. Situated in the northwest of Kegalle, this orphanage is now a home of nearly a hundred elephants altogether. Covering an area of almost 25 hectors, this orphanage gets its funds from the Department of wildlife conservation. In the banks of shallow Maha Oya river, one can see why the place is an ideal site for the Orphanage. The elephant of all age and sizes live in a community, and the resources they need is from nature. However, utmost care to the young and infant elephant is also a goal of Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.
The nature around and in the orphanage is so that the Elephants can survive without complications. While the bigger elephants feed themselves, calves under three years of age undergo bottle-feeding. For proper nutrients to the elephants, the mahouts and volunteers can give them bags of rice bran. Also, the daily consumption checking takes places to prevent underfeeding of the elephants. Workers and mahouts also take the elephants to bathe in the Maha Oyu river twice a day. The sight of the elephants playing and soaking in the river is touching and heartwarming.
Also acting as the breeding place, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage holds the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. Most of the elephants here are healthy and fit. One can also study the behavior of these majestic animals by visiting this orphanage. The elephant doesn’t forget, as they say, and after your visit here the one that these elephants remember might be you.
