Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage (28 August, 2005)


Pinnawela Elephant Orphange is a sanctuary for elephants located about 80 km from Colombo, just northwest of the town of Kegalle. Also written as Pinnawala, it is home to the largest herd of elephants in captivity, and has a result, has become a tourist attraction. I visited it with a group of AsiaExplorers members on our way to the ancient city of Anuradhapura.

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was already crowded with visitors when we arrived. We were lucky in that we got there just in time for the elephant feeding time. After that, we were taken to the river where we get to watch the elephants being bathed.

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage (28 August, 2005)


Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was set up in 1974 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department to take in baby elephants who were abandoned or injured. Within this 24-acre facility is also a breeding centre for the elephants, managed by the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka. Since 1984, 20 elephants have been born here.

The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was initially located at the Wilpattu National Park. It has shifted a few times, first to the tourist complex at Bentota and then to the Dehiwala Zoo, before moving to Pinnawela in 1975. Today Pinnawela is one of the bigger elephant orphanges and has become a tourist attraction.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (28 August, 2005)

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