Sri Lankan Sanctuary – Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

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This is the world famous Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage located in Rambukkana, Sri Lanka, between the capital Colombo and the cultural center of Kandy.

The elephant orphanage was started in 1975 primarily for abandoned baby elephants who’s mothers had either died or were killed in the wild. This is a large male elephant who I was told is blind and must be kept chained and under this shelter at all times.

I have mixed feelings about this place. There is no release program for these elephants. They are here for life. On the other hand there aren’t any other facilities large enough to accept all of them. They are well fed and cared for.

Morning is one of the best times of the day to come. You’ll have an opportunity to get up close to the elephants and a chance to see the babies being fed. Don’t ever get in between a baby elephant and it’s mother’s milk.

This is the feeding pen area where if you’re lucky you may get to bottle feed a calve.

Another chance to get up close. This one went right for my wallet. Seriously! Once the elephants are done here they are herded across the road to the Oya River where they have the opportunity to bathe and socialize.

Being up close you really see how social elephants are and how their behaviour is so human like. Like I said, very human.

For breezy-size.flywheelsites.com this is John Saboe from the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka.