Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
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Anantara Kalutara Resort and Avani Kalutara Resort Sri Lanka Cluster General Manager Keith Tomkies with Elephant Transit Home Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Malaka Abeywardana
Anantara Kalutara Resort and Avani Kalutara Resort Sri Lanka Cluster General Manager Kieth Tomkies and Area Director of Sales Champika De Silva
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.
“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,” said Anantara Kalutara Resort and Avani Kalutara Resort Sri Lanka Cluster General Manager Keith Tomkies.
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 projects in Thailand and Cambodia.
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.
