Bathing of Pinnawala elephants at Ma Oya resumes following clearance of debris
December 29, 2025 10:45 am
The Department of National Zoological Gardens has announced that the practice of taking elephants from the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage to the Ma Oya River for bathing—temporarily suspended due to recent adverse weather conditions in Sri Lanka—has now resumed.
In a statement, the department explained that the recent weather had caused the waters of the Ma Oya to become muddy and resulted in the bathing area being flooded with sand and silt.
It was also observed that hazardous debris, including glass shards and iron pieces, had settled among the sand, posing a risk to the elephants.
To ensure the welfare and safety of the elephants, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage had temporarily restricted their movement to the Ma Oya.
The department further stated that, following approval from the Irrigation Department, an excavator was employed to clear the sand and other debris that had accumulated at the bathing site.
Accordingly, the routine practice of taking the elephants to the Ma Oya resumed on December 24, it said.
