Kodanad, the head quarters of Malayattur forest division, is known for the ‘Elephant Kraal’ and is about 45 km from Ernakulam (Cochin or Kochi) and 12 km to the east of Perumbavoor town. From the Cochin International Airport you travel to Kalady and from there to Perumbavoor. Before you reach Perumbavoor, you turn left and travel about 5 kilometers to reach Kodanad, the elephant training center. Kodanad is also an orphanage: The total number of orphaned babies in the Kodanad center is ten of which four are male babies and six females. Be there at 8 o'clock in the morning. You can stay at Thani Illam in Thottuva near Kodanad.
Before 1977, elephants were captured from the nearby Malayattoor forests and trained at Kodanad. Capture of elephants was banned in that year and Kodanad center does not engage in capturing elephants any more. The Kodanad center now focuses on training elephants.
Activities with Elephants
Elephant bathe
In the mornings at the riverside, tourists informally get a chance to experience hands-on bathe and massage of adult and baby elephants under the supervision of its Mahouts. Bathe and massage of elephants are normally done with small flat rocks, and husk of coconuts
Elephant Safari
Kodanad offers elephant safari to the visitors at the main park. At the park, the old 'Kraal' is maintained to house elephants, which is a structure made of wood compartments that can accommodate up to 4 elephants.
Elephant Feeding
Visitors to Kodanad can watch feeding of elephants as nearly 80% of an elephants day is spent on feeding. It is fascinating to watch elephants feeding themselves in their natural environment
Baby elephants
Watching baby elephants during their early training years of early life as it takes a lot of training in their early years.
The facility is closed on Monday's for tourists. The is also a 'mini zoo' that shelters wild animals which have become unfit for survival in the local forest and some inmates of the zoo are very rare species.
Before 1977, elephants were captured from the nearby Malayattoor forests and trained at Kodanad. Capture of elephants was banned in that year and Kodanad center does not engage in capturing elephants any more. The Kodanad center now focuses on training elephants.
Activities with Elephants
Elephant bathe
In the mornings at the riverside, tourists informally get a chance to experience hands-on bathe and massage of adult and baby elephants under the supervision of its Mahouts. Bathe and massage of elephants are normally done with small flat rocks, and husk of coconuts
Elephant Safari
Kodanad offers elephant safari to the visitors at the main park. At the park, the old 'Kraal' is maintained to house elephants, which is a structure made of wood compartments that can accommodate up to 4 elephants.
Elephant Feeding
Visitors to Kodanad can watch feeding of elephants as nearly 80% of an elephants day is spent on feeding. It is fascinating to watch elephants feeding themselves in their natural environment
Baby elephants
Watching baby elephants during their early training years of early life as it takes a lot of training in their early years.
The facility is closed on Monday's for tourists. The is also a 'mini zoo' that shelters wild animals which have become unfit for survival in the local forest and some inmates of the zoo are very rare species.
Kodanad was a beautiful tourist destination for foreign tourists and a great picnic spot for the locals. I have been to this place numerous times during my childhood since it was very close to my home. Unfortunately, the animals were kept in a poor condition and lot of complaints were registered for animals abuse. All the animals from this place were either released or moved to an open zoo at Abhayaranyam. See the current status of Kodanad Elephant training center
ReplyDeleteAbhayaranyam is an interesting place to visit, which is about 2.5km from Kodanad. Many of the animals from Kodanad are moved there. Also, it is a good picnic area, which already started getting lot of attraction among the locals.