News
Visitors to Pinnawala won’t be allowed to feed baby jumbos
View(s):Visitors to the Pinnawala elephant orphanage will no longer be able to bottle feed baby elephants, according to a new directive by Wildlife Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera. National Zoological Gardens and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage coordinator S.R. Dullewe said the decision was taken to protect the calves from falling sick.
“We are concerned about the health of the calves. We cannot allow them to get sick. There is a possibility of the animals contracting illnesses from visitors,” he said. He said the calves will henceforth be fed by a team of seven elephant caretakers. The orphanage has been issuing tickets allowing visitors to feed the calves as it was a major attraction.
Zoo Director P.M Anura de Silva said from now on visitors will only be allowed to observe the calves being fed. Meanwhile a special uniform for the caretakers has been proposed by the Wildlife Ministry.