The Elephant Transit Home within Udawalawe National Park was established by the Department of Wildlife Conservation together with the Born Free Foundation.

The facility was established under the 29th Amendment to the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance Part II.

[1] Up to three elephants per week are killed in Sri Lanka due to conflicts with humans, often leaving behind orphan calves.

[2] The elephants are kept at part of the Udawalawe National Park to maintain familiarity with their habitat.

Additionally, a solar heater was set up at the facility by Dilmah Conservation to heat the water used to make the milk fed to the orphaned elephants.