Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is defined by a stretch of coconut plantation land that slopes down to the banks of the Maha Oya River. Established in nineteen seventy-five by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, it was created to provide a sanctuary for orphaned or abandoned elephants found across the island. Before settling on this twenty-five-acre site in Kegalle, the project moved between several locations, including Wilpattu National Park and the Dehiwala Zoo, struggling to find a space that could accommodate a growing, permanent herd.