| Millennium Elephant Foundation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 7°16′30″N 80°23′00″E / 7.27500°N 80.38333°E | |
| Date opened | August 1999 |
| Location | Randeniya, Hiriwadunna, Kegalle, Sabaragamuwa, Sri Lanka |
| Land area | 15 acres |
| No. of animals | 9 (2014) |
| No. of species | 1 |
Millennium Elephant Foundation (MEF) is an organization and charity set up to rescue and care for captive Asian elephants in Sri Lanka. The foundation is situated on a 15-acre estate by the name of Samaragiri, which is located 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Kegalle, within the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. As of 2019 there are 10 elephants that either permanently or temporarily reside at the sanctuary. These elephants are taken care of by 13 local mahouts and a number of foreign volunteers.[1]
The foundation is funded predominantly by tourists and volunteer fees. This money is used to develop and improve conditions for the elephants at MEF, as well as run an education program for farmers and their families in Habarana.[2]
- ^ "History of MEF". Millennium Elephant Foundation. Archived from the original on 2014-04-08. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
- ^ "Visitors". Millennium Elephant Foundation. Retrieved 2014-02-18.