Thursday, August 29, 2024 Anantara Kalutara Resort has made a meaningful contribution to the conservation of Sri Lanka’s endangered elephants by donating an essential ultrasound machine to the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe. This specialized medical device was requested by Dr. Malaka Abeywardana, the veterinarian at the Elephant Transit Home, to improve the medical care provided to injured elephants, helping them recover and eventually return to their natural habitats.
The donation was facilitated through Anantara Hotels & Resorts’ Dollars for Deeds initiative, a program that motivates guests to support charitable causes. The resort amplifies the impact of these donations by matching each guest’s contribution dollar for dollar. The Elephant Transit Home, situated within Udawalawe National Park, acts as a temporary refuge for orphaned baby elephants.
These young elephants are cared for with minimal human interaction to help them maintain their natural behaviors. The sanctuary provides a vast open area, lush forest, and access to the Udawalawe reservoir, ensuring the elephants can thrive in a setting that mimics their natural habitat. After a period of four to five years, the elephants are released back into the wild.
The Transit Home is notable for being the first of its kind in Asia and one of the few such facilities in the world. “This initiative exemplifies the powerful connection between our guests and the resort in fostering communal responsibility. We are committed to supporting the incredible work done by the Elephant Transit Home through an ongoing, collaborative partnership.
” Keith Tomkies , Cluster General Manager of Anantara Kalutara Resort and Avani Kalutara Resort in Sri Lanka. As part of a global initiative by Minor Hotels, the parent company of Anantara Hotels & Resorts, efforts are underway to protect endangered elephant populations. Since 2005, they have operated the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, which is actively involved in three wildlife protection projects in Thailand and Cambodia, focusing on both the preservation of wild elephants and their overall well-being.
Anantara Kalutara Resort is currently working to raise further funds to provide crucial medical equipment, support monthly care programs for elephant calves during their rehabilitation, implement CCTV systems for monitoring wildlife, and contribute to a disease control project at the Transit Home..
