Udawalawe Transit Home

The real aim of the Udawalawe Elephant Transits Home (ETH), also known as the Udawalawe Elephant Orphanage, is to care for orphaned elephant calves until they are self-sufficient and capable of being released back into the wild.

In 1995, the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation took an important step toward the welfare and protection of orphan elephants. As a result, the Udawalawe National Park’s “Ath Athuru Sevana” (Elephant Transit Home) was established.

ETH is located on the western edge of the 33,000-hectare Udawalawe National Park, next to the “Udawalawe Reservoir.” Elephant calves have no restrictions in the area and can go wherever they want. Similarly, wild elephants frequent the area around ETH. The reservoir’s seasonal fluctuating water level creates a diverse environment for both baby and wild elephants.