Elephant Conservation Volunteer in Sri Lanka
Maintain the well being of the elephant such as feeding, bathing, collect food from the farm and teach informal English to the local community.
Elephant Conservation Volunteer in Sri Lanka
Volunteer in Sri Lanka by volunteering in an elephant conservation programme! Care for Asian elephants whilst building a better future for these gentle giants, their keepers and the local community, all at our young and dynamic elephant project in Sri Lanka.
The project needs volunteers to slowly and continuously improve the wellbeing of the three elephant present by helping with the washing & feeding of the elephants, carry out standard health checks, clean the elephant beds, learn Sri Lankan cooking, learn basic mahout skiils and more to look after elephants and understand the importance of protecting the species.
Volunteers will also get the chance to meet other people and experience Sri Lanka in an unconventional but very interesting way. Come join us and experience Sri Lanka through elephant volunteer conservation and make your holiday a meaningful one!
Why this project – the suffering of elephants
Elephants have played an important role throughout Sri Lankan history. They played a big part in the building of the most ancient cities like Anuradhapura and Pollonaruwa. It is still common place in Sri Lanka for families and companies to keep domesticated elephants.
Today domesticated elephants are engaged in the following types of work:
1. Logging – elephants are used to log trees all over the world, including Sri Lanka. Their job is to drag the felled logs which is a very hard job, even for such a strong animal as the elephant.
2. Tourism – elephants are used to give tourists rides using what is known as a Howdah. This is a large, heavy platform, for tourists to sit and ride in. These Howdahs can cause a lot of discomfort and harm to the elephants. They are especially bad for the elephant’s back which is already a weak spot for elephants.
3. Ceremonies and Temple Work – Elephants participate in annual temple processions all over Sri Lanka. Often they are richly decorated and central to the proceedings. Other elephants are permanently kept at temples as a status symbol.
Often these poor animals are all alone in captivity, heavily chained and restricted in their movements and left with very little protection from the burning sun. It is a very sad life.
Domesticated elephants in Sri Lanka face difficulties finding useful and gainful employment. And those that are, sadly aren’t treated as well as we would like. The cost of keeping an elephant is HIGH. At around 7,000 rupees a day (£35) one elephant can cost £1,025 a month to keep healthy and fed. This is without taking into account the wage of the Mahout looking after them.
Why this project –Improving the Elephants’ lives
At the elephant project we strive to give the elephants a fast improvement of life compare to logging, being ridden with a Howdah or lonely confinement at a home or temple.
With your help, and with your help only, can we make a real change and ensure a brighter future for the elephants, their keepers and the local community.
Download brochure here
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Cost
1 week £380
Extra weeks £115 per weekCompulsory for all volunteers
Ecoteer Responsible Travel lifetime membership: GBP 55Includes:
Return airport pick up from Colombo International Airport, accommodation 7 days per week, three meals per day – 5 days per week (volunteers need to buy their own food on weekends), 4-5 hours contact time per day with the elephants.Excludes:
Flights, insurance, visa, Ecoteer Responsible Travel membershipBooking
Please allow a minimum of 3 weeks for us to process your application and payment.
Download the application form here
To make a booking, please complete the application form and email to explore@ecoteer.com. We will then email you back confirming your reservation and how to make the deposit payment. If the deposit is not received within 2 weeks from the date your reservation is placed, your reservation will be cancelled automatically. Full payment is required no later than 1 month before departure. You may pay online by credit card or a direct transfer to our account. Once a deposit has been paid we will email you our Know Before You Go guide, which will give you useful information to help you prepare to volunteer.
Cancellation Policy
a. Cancellation of reservation must be made in writing to avoid any misunderstanding. If the company receives notice to cancel 30 days or more before the date of departure, a minimum administrative fee of RM100.00 or 10% of the tour deposit (whichever is lower) per person will be levied.
b. If notice of the cancellation is received 29 days or less before the date of departure the following charges will apply:
c. 15 – 29 working days before the date of departure = 50% of deposit
8 – 14 working days before the date of departure = 20% of FULL COST
3 – 7 working days before the date of departure = 40% of FULL COST
2 working days or less before the date of departure = 100% of FULL COST -
Clean the elephant bed each morning
Feed and water your elephant and check him/her for any injuries – treating as necessary
Wash & scrub the elephant and whilst your elephant is soaking in the river help the mahout to gather food for the elephantAssist the vet in the vet checks and take on any follow up actions if medical treatment is required.
Immerse yourself in the local culture and learn the basics of the main language of the country, Sinhala
Learn how to make curry and rice
Learn basic mahout skills.
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Shared accommodation with other volunteers.
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Every Sunday all year round. Volunteers will be picked up from the airport on the Sunday from the Colombo airport.
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1. What are the requirements to join this volunteering project?
Volunteers will need to be able to speak English to be able to communicate with the facilitator. Minimum age requirement is 18 years old. Volunteers should also have a positive attitude and willing to participate in all task given to them.2. How many hours do volunteer work per day?
5 to 7 hours a day. However volunteers are able to request for breaks in between. The task are to be carried out from Monday to Friday with off days on the weekends.3. Do I need to apply for visa to join?
If you are coming to Sri Lanka for 30 days and less then you will need to apply for your visa in advance of arrival. This can all be done on line and will cost $20 per person. You can pay by credit card and track the progress of your application which should take 24hours. You’ll then receive approval which we recommend printing and taking a copy with you to show at passport control. You can also apply via your local embassy.The application website: http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/visainfo/center.jsp?locale=en_US
You can obtain a visa upon arrival in Sri Lanka, you will need to head to the Electronic Travel Authorization counter at the airport, fill in the forms and pay a fee of $25.
4. Is this program suitable for families with children?
This elephant conservation program is suitable for families with children age 12 years and above.
Testimonials
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