Sights and scenes of Meet the ETH Elephants, a nature conservation project by Dilmah Conservation

Balangoda is strong, solid, and slow to move. He was found in Trincomalee in 2010, aged only 7 months old. The gentle giant is uninterested in the daily squabbles for milk and waits patiently for an opportunity to feed. Once he finds his chance, he drinks calmly and gradually, careful not to spill a drop unlike his impatient kin. - Photo by Dhanush De Costa

Deegawi came to ETH from Ampara when she was only a few months old. Now, at approximately 2 years old, she has settled in well with her new family. Energetic yet timid, this fireball tends to intimidate all her younger playmates if she doesn’t get her way. An interesting fact about Deegawapi is that she is a righty; she virtually always uses her right foreleg to forage, even when it seems inconvenient to an onlooker. - Photo by Dhanush De Costa

Gagani, Sinhala for sky, is aptly named after being flown to ETH by Sri Lankan Air Force personnel who found her alone, displaced by the civil war. Today Gagani’s head remains in the clouds as she is regularly seen dancing and bobbing her head alone or accompanied by the youngest calves, indifferent if not oblivious to their suckling from her ears. - Photo by Dhanush De Costa

Gomari’s story is a testament to the devotion and kinship displayed by elephants. Notified by rural villagers that a calf was stuck in a gravel pit, members of the Department of Wildlife Conservation reached Gomari to find that they weren’t the first group to attempt rescue. Signs of struggle around the rocky edge indicated that Gomari’s family made extended efforts to pull the calf up but without success. Eventually, thirst forced the family to leave the calf. Fortunately, Gomari is now safe with her new family, described by ETH staff as “friendly, but a little lazy.” - Photo by Dhanush De Costa

Adorable Hercules is one of the most playful and friendly elephants at ETH. He was found only 8 months ago, and he is one of best cases of how much the ETH does for the wellbeing of their elephants. Hercules’ right hind leg was severely damaged with an open fracture after coming into contact with a car. Surgery was performed and a pin was placed inside his leg. Happily he is now such a spirited, lively elephant and is permanently seen with his companion, Namal. - Photo by Dhanush De Costa

Sharing his enclosure with Perumal, Homer is the other miniature member of the ETH. Homer was found in a pit aged only 3 months old in the Horoupathana area. He is very sleepy and lazy, and will only raise his voice when hunger calls. Similarly to Perumal, bathing time is the highlight of his day. - Photo by Dhanush De Costa

Maiya was formerly known as Unde which is Sinhala for bullet, a constant reminder of the three bullets that struck his legs and back and landed him in the Elephant Transit Home. Battle-hardened Maiya, initially gained notoriety among staff for his bloody past, but now enjoys a new, less violent reputation – that of an unstoppable eater. Unselective in his food, Maiya is constantly browsing, grazing, or suckling. Unsurprisingly, the veteran’s girth is approaching his height and is lovingly referred to as “the ball.” - Photo by Dhanush De Costa

Maththala arrived at ETH small in stature, but large in spirit. Feisty for his age, Maththala accepted every challenge offered by his elders during his first years at ETH and even made a few of his own. Frustrated by the ineffectiveness of his trunk slaps, Maththala was known for charging his peers head-on (as well as the occasional staff member.) Today, Maththala’s size matches his pugnacity and, as one might expect, receives few challenges. - Photo by Dhanush De Costa