Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Location: Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage: Sri Lanka
Zone: South East Asia

Update: November 2007
Despite a number of UK-based tour operators pro-actively raising their concerns about the ‘gifting’ of live elephants from this popular tourist attraction, Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka has recently made the decision to send a young Sri Lankan elephant to Yerevan Zoo in Armenia. Subjected to extreme temperatures for half of the year, Yerevan Zoo with its small concrete yard is no place for an elephant.

Due to actions taken by the Born Free Foundation and the Society for the Protection of Animals Rights (SPAR) in Sri Lanka, the Supreme Court issued an Order on 31st October, temporarily prohibiting the transfer of the elephant, Asokamala, out of the country. 

Asokamala’s fate is still undecided and she could still be sent to Armenia for the rest of her life. Please support our campaign and ask the Sri Lankan Government not to allow her export to Yerevan Zoo. For more information. For more information click here 

August 2007:
Work continues to address concerns over the management of the elephants at this captive facility and the export of individual elephants to zoos around the world.  The Sri Lankan Tourist Board is advocating Born Free’s concerns and seeks to facilitate a meeting with the Sri Lankan Minister for Tourism in the next few months.  

Background
Following numerous reports about the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka, Born Free Foundation has raised the following concerns with the Sri Lankan authorities:

• Off-display male elephants chained, restricting movement and causing injury. On display adult males chained for up to 20 hours a day.
• Sale or gift of elephant to captive facilities worldwide. 
• Elephant breeding, contrary to orphanage status. 
• Extensive public contact in return for ‘tips’.   

Born Free has submitted recommendations to the Minister for Tourism, Minister for Zoological Collections, the Sri Lankan Tourist Board and the Responsible Tourism Partnership.

Following Born Free visits and our subsequent feedback, the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage has announced the building of a new bull facility which will eliminate the use of chains (so we are told). Our concerns, however, over breeding, visitor contact and the reported transfers of animals to inappropriate facilities in Armenia, Pakistan and China have yet to be addressed. Born Free continues to raise these matters with the authorities and ask that you, as responsible tour operators, continue to enquire as to whether these issues will be addressed under the new management plans. 

To find out more about the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage and read the Born Free reports, please click here.