Elephants abound in Sri Lanka. There are estimated to be some 5,000 animals roaming free in the forests. Some have been domesticated and trained to do heavy jobs such as lifting tree trunks but as the population has grown so has their habitat declined and these wonderful creatures have come into conflict with local farmers. Eating some 260 kilos of food a day elephants can devastate a crop in minutes and as a result farmers take action to protect their crops by shooting or maiming animals, especially by firing shot at their eyes. It is horrendous to think what human’s will do to these gentle and highly intelligent giants who mourn and even bury their dead.
Sri Lanka has established some 22 National Parks surrounded by electric fences to try to prevent these problems but the elephants, finding their natural routes barred, quickly discovered that uprooting a tree and placing it across the electric fence was an effective way of escaping this barrier.
An enlightened Minister of Tourism had the idea of establishing an elephant orphanage in 1975 to feed, nurse and house young elephants lost or abandoned by their Mothers and for other elephants injured by farmers or even landmines in the fighting with the Tamil Tigers.
Set amongst the Kegalle Hills the Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage was the first in the world to be set up and since 1984 has established a very successful breeding programme with over 39 elephants born in captivity. Pinnawella was chosen as the site for this orphanage because of its proximity to a river – the name of which I cannot remember and which I cannot determine from the Atlas.
Elephants need to drink over 200 litres of water a day and to bathe regularly to keep their skin in good health and naturally the movement of the herd to and from their sanctuary down to the river makes for a very attractive tourist spectacle and the funds raised assist with the upkeep of the animals.
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