Source: CCTV.com

03-05-2007 14:03

A giant-sized orphanage in Sri Lanka is home to more than 80 retired, abused or orphaned elephants. Now the Elephant Orphanage is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.

The Elephant Orphanage is located in Pinnewela, halfway between Colombo and the Royal City of Kandy, in the hills of central Sri Lanka.

Established in 1975, the orphanage is designed to offer care and protection to the many baby elephants found in the jungle without their mothers. In most cases the mother is dead.

Among the few elephant orphanages in the world, Pinnawela is one of the biggest.

Every morning, the elephants wash themselves for two hours. Though slim, the orphanage's elephant keeper knows how to keep the giants in line.

Sumanabanda, elephant keeper, said, "I have been working here for 26 years. Currently there are 83 elephants in the orphanage, 44 of them were born here. I take care of them and train them every day. My life is linked with the elephants. I think I and the elephants fall in love with each other. I'd like to work here forever."

The elephants love spending time in the water or wallowing in the marsh. The scenes attract both local and foreign visitors, who can accompany the elephants while having their daily bath.

A Swedish tourist said, "I like this place. It's interesting."

The orphanage is also a breeding place for elephants.

In the afternoon, the staff starts feeding baby elephants with milk. Each baby elephant is fed 5 times a day. It's another event that draws tourists. And our camera even drew a baby elephant.

One of the orphanage's baby elephants, named Migara, will be presented to China, to mark half a century of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

 

Editor:Liu Fang