Anantara Kalutara Supports Sri Lanka Elephant Conservation with Critical Medical Donation

Anantara Kalutara Resort has taken a significant step in its support of Sri Lanka's endangered elephant population, donating a much-needed ultrasound machine to the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe.

The specialised medical equipment had been specifically requested by Dr Malaka Abeywardana, the veterinary surgeon at Elephant Transit Home, to enhance the medical care available for rehabilitating injured elephants and preparing them for reintroduction into the wild.

This donation was made possible by Anantara Hotels & Resorts' Dollars for Deeds program—a brand-wide initiative that encourages guests to contribute to worthy causes, with the resort matching every guest's donation dollar for dollar. 

The Elephant Transit Home, located within Udawalawe National Park, serves as a temporary sanctuary for orphaned baby elephants. These young elephants receive care with minimal human contact to ensure they retain their wild instincts. The facility provides an open range, forested area, and access to the Udawalawe reservoir, allowing the elephants to thrive in a natural environment. After four to five years of care, they are released back into the wild. Notably, the Transit Home is the first of its kind in Asia, and one of only a handful operating globally.

The initiative is part of worldwide efforts by Minor Hotels, the parent group of Anantara Hotels & Resorts, to support endangered elephant populations, including running since 2005 the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation which currently has three ongoing wild elephant protection projects in Thailand and Cambodia alongside their welfare work.

Anantara Kalutara Resort is currently raising additional funds to sponsor essential medical equipment, facilitate monthly care initiatives for elephant calves during their rehabilitation, install CCTV systems for wildlife observation, and support a disease control project within the Transit Home.

About Anantara Hotels & Resorts

A luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, Anantara has connected guests to genuine places, people and stories in some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations since 2001. Each Anantara embraces the surroundings and culture of its destination to create unforgettable memories for every guest. From city to sea and desert to jungle, Anantara delivers heartfelt, Thai-inspired hospitality at its over 50 hotels and resorts across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.

Anantara is part of global hospitality group Minor Hotels and a member of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme.

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