Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a government-run elephant centre beside the Maha Oya river, about 13 km north-east of Kegalle town in Kegalle District, Sri Lanka, between Colombo and Kandy. It was set up to care for orphaned and injured elephants and is best known for the twice-daily walk of the herd to the river for bathing.

From Wilpattu in 1975 to a coconut estate at Pinnawala

The Department of Wildlife Conservation founded the orphanage in 1975 in Wilpattu National Park. It moved to a tourist complex at Bentota, then to the Dehiwala zoo, and finally to a 25-acre (10 ha) former coconut plantation at Pinnawala. The Department of National Zoological Gardens took it over in 1978.

71 elephants and a breeding programme since 1982

In 2023 the herd numbered 71 elephants, 30 males and 41 females across three generations, which makes it one of the largest captive herds in the world. A breeding programme started in 1982; the first calf was born in 1984, and there had been 75 births by 2023, with a record 17 in 2011. Each adult eats about 250 kg of green fodder a day plus a rice bran and maize mix.

Twice-daily bathing in the Maha Oya

Twice a day the keepers lead the herd about half a kilometre to the Maha Oya to drink and bathe. Entry is ticketed for foreigners, and the river bathing sessions are the best time to come. Ask at the gate for the day's bathing times.

Chaining and crowd contact criticised by welfare groups

Animal-welfare groups have criticised the conditions at Pinnawala, including chaining and crowd contact; a 2010 Born Free Foundation report questioned welfare there. Travellers who want to see elephants in a more natural setting should consider the Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe or a national park safari instead. If you visit, watch from the riverbank and skip any paid feeding or riding.