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WHO ARE WE?
The Elephant Care Relief is a project set up in Sri Lanka, that’s sole focus is the physical and mental health of Domesticated Elephants. We are determined to make a change to the conditions currently faced by all of Sri Lanka’s Domesticated Elephant population. We aim to create a paradise where we can properly focus on the welfare and well-being of these elephants, letting them have endless space to roam freely, making sure they are attended to in all aspects of their mental and physical health, and that they never have to live in fear ever again. We want to serve as an inspiration to others in Sri Lanka, to show that these elephants deserve our utmost respect and that we cannot continue to uphold the conditions that all domesticated elephants are forced to go through.
Being set up in 2015, Amarasiri has made it his mission to constantly evolve the project in a way that puts the ECR at the forefront of ethicality in Sri Lanka’s elephant tourism. As a family-run project, everyone has a hand in trying to make the ECR successful. With the addition of Myszka, operations have continued to move further in the correct way, making sure the overall vision has always been the elephant’s mental and physical health being our primary concern.
We are always finding new ways to innovate and evolve correctly, making sure that we have a project we can be truly proud of, and we never stop becoming the best that we possibly can be.
WHY THEY NEED US?
Sri Lanka is home to nearly 7,000 elephants, with around 150 of them domesticated. These domesticated elephants are often forced to work long hours every day, with limited access to food and water, and are typically controlled through force. They are an extremely vulnerable group. Their work includes heavy labour, such as carrying massive logs—sometimes weighing several tonnes—from deep within the forest, using only their mouths. They are also exploited in the popular tourist activity of elephant back riding, where they are made to carry tourists, often in groups weighing up to 200kg. These tourists are usually seated in large, rigid carriers that cause lasting damage to the elephants’ backs and lungs. Even in operations that carry only one tourist at a time, the elephants are not spared from harsh conditions. Many endure chronic malnourishment, physical abuse, and spend long hours chained until needed for work. Over time, this lifestyle leads to severe physical deterioration: broken bones, weakened muscles, dangerously high cholesterol, irregular blood sugar levels, and the gradual loss of proper bodily function.
In addition to physical suffering, elephants experience mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. These conditions are very real for elephants, manifesting in stereotypical behaviours—repetitive, compulsive actions that signal mental collapse. Instead of living their natural lifespan of 80–100 years, many domesticated elephants won’t survive past 50. Despite their sacred status in Sri Lankan Buddhist culture, elephants continue to be exploited for tourism. Mass consumerism has deeply corrupted the elephant trade, leaving many working elephants to suffer and die slowly.
This must change. If change cannot come from the top, it must begin at the grassroots level. Caring for these elephants is not just important—it is essential. Unfortunately, releasing domesticated elephants into the wild is not an option. Without the vital maternal teachings passed down within elephant herds, they lack the skills to survive on their own. This knowledge includes migration routes, foraging techniques, breeding behaviour, and even basic communication. Without it, their survival is nearly impossible. That’s why projects like ours are so crucial. We provide a safe, supportive environment for domesticated elephants - because they deserve better.
OUR MISSION
The mission of Elephant Care Relief is to create an ethical space where domesticated elephants can be cared for properly, be mentally and physically healed, feel safe, feel free, and avoid the harsh conditions that they are forced to face. We always want to be the best version of ourselves, striving to constantly evolve our facilities and practices most ethically. We take elephants away from the labour or tourism work that they usually do, and offer them a space with more freedom than they’ve ever had before. We ensure that they are well nourished, properly treated, and the stressors that once ruled their lives are removed for their mental well-being. We know we aren’t where we want to be, but that helps us constantly strive for a better environment that our elephants can one day have. We know that our attitude is the best in the country, and using that, we will spearhead ethical elephant treatment for all of Sri Lanka.
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AMARASIRI'S DREAM
Amarasiri founded the ECR in 2015, after seeing how elephants were treated and exploited for tourism first-hand, through previously working on a different elephant tourism project. The dream of Mr Amarasiri, and the project, is to one day get a huge piece of land where we can house as many elephants as possible, where they can roam and graze to their heart’s content, without the threats of mental or physical abuse, living a life as free as we can make it. In his belief, the life, health, and happiness of the elephants are much more important than making a profit through them. His mindset of elephants and their well-being is unconventional in Sri Lanka, and the opinions that he shares are inconceivable to the majority of the Sri Lankan public. Because of this, there is no governmental funding for the project, making it a self-sustained organization. Therefore, the ECR is dependent on you.
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