Baby elephant adopted illegally to return to wild

The baby elephant that was kept illegally at Dewram Vehera Pannipitiya in Sri Lanka was taken to the Uda Walawe Transit Home after a Court Order on July 18, 2014.

The baby elephant was later released from the temple.

According to Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) officers, despite resistance by temple officials the baby elephant was taken and had arrived at the Uda Walawe Transit home (Ath Athuru Sevana).

"The Provincial High Courts Gampaha gave the Court Order on July 18, 2014. But as soon as the Court Order was given, an attempt was made by temple officials to remove the baby elephant from the premise,” Wildlife officials reported.

They added that as soon as the Court Order was given, a message sent to the DWLC head office to send a team of officers to Dewram Vehera.

"A team of DWLC officers led by Ranger Assistant KWD Jayalal and Game Guards Sarath Bandara, Hasitha Nirmal, PS Edirisinghe, Kumara and Driver SK Sooriarachchi were sent to the temple, promptly," Wildlife officials said.

They explained that when the team got to the temple they saw the baby elephant being taken out of the temple with the mahout.

"The officers told mahout that a Court Order was given for the animal to be taken to the Uda Walawe Transit home and stopped the officials from taking the animal out of the temple," Wildlife officers revealed.

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