Elephants, also known as gentle giants, are a magnificent gift from mother nature, nurturing and safeguarding thriving biodiversity. These remarkable creatures have coexisted with humans since time immemorial. Unfortunately, the human-elephant conflict has intensified over time, leading to the clustering of elephants into small areas of land, causing them to venture into human settlement areas.
On the 17th of April, 2022, residents of Kiri Oya hamlet discovered a 10-month-old baby elephant trapped in a trench, injured and separated from its mother. With the tireless efforts of wildlife officials and the locals of the area, the baby elephant was rescued and transferred to the Elephant Transit Home (ETH) in Udawalawe.
In an effort to promote conservation activities and contribute to sustainability, Aitken Spence Travels pledged to become the foster parent of this baby elephant, who is the second baby elephant the company has fostered after “Bhanu.” Bhanu was raised under the care of Aitken Spence Travels for five years and released into the wild in 2022.
The company’s executive staff made suggestions for naming the new baby elephant based on the time horoscope of the elephant. From the numerous suggestions for names made, “Anagi,” meaning “precious,” was chosen by the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Suranga Ratnayake. This name was a suggestion by staff members, Judith Jayaratnam and Dilhara Ileperuma.
Baby Anagi, now 1 year and 8 months old, resides in Udawalawe with her new friends and remains a playful youngster. Her journey will continue at ETH Udawalawe until her sixth birthday, after which she will be released back to the wild to make sure that she builds her family and herd.
Stay tuned for more updates on Anagi’s story, as Aitken Spence Travels continues to be involved in sustainable tourism and conservation activities.
Source: ASTL Team
Sri Lanka Travel Feneteko