Elephants

I love elephants. Those of you that have visited my home will recall the elephants around the pelmet in the kitchen. Sri lanka is like the home of elephants and I definitely got my monies worth.
The first place we visited was Pinnawala Elephnant Orphanage where injured and orphaned elephants have been sent. Pinnawala has now started a captive breeding programme and have small calves wandering around with their mothers. The elephants wander around the property, although I am sure they are herded around for the sake of the tourist and the almighty tourist dollar. We arrived around 11:00 am and went down to a restaurant coffee shop built along the river bank. Below the elephants were bathing and standing around in the water. Around mid day they were herded back up the elephant village road to the open country, with us following along behind. Here we were able to view at reasonably close range, and pat the animals and the younger babies and photograph as well.... Of course a tip was always appreciated/ expected. We did see the keepers bottle feeding younger elephants.
In Sri Lanka nothing is wasted including the elephant dung. As the dung is so full of fibre from the vegetation they eat, the dung is collected and manufactured into products, mainly paper, cards, notelets books albums etc. As this was a tourist spot they also had dung elephants which although cute I did resist. Imagine trying to explain that away at customs!