Volunteer with elephants in Sri Lanka

Actively help to promote the survival of elephants in Sri Lanka’s stunning countryside. Deep in the wilderness, elephants and humans are living alongside each other, often with catastrophic results as they compete for food and land. This project aims to redress this imbalance and promote the survival of elephants whilst benefiting people.

How does this project work?
This project works hard to protect boundaries between humans and elephants to create a sustainable future for both species. This involves closely monitoring the elephants in their natural habitat, working with local farmers to protect their crops, teaching awareness to school children and tracking elephants. The ultimate aim is to understand more about elephants and their movements, and use this knowledge to help farmers to grow crops that elephants don't eat and develop coping mechanisms in villages that have elephant neighbours.

Volunteer tasks

There are a wide range of tasks that volunteers get involved in. Here are some of the highlights:

• Monitoring elephant activity from a tree house, getting a clear view of their behaviour
• Completing wildlife surveys
• Preserving the ecosystem
• Tracking the elephants
• Working with farmers to reduce the amount of crops elephants eat
• Meeting local people
• Teaching in the local school

This is an inspiring project which will take you right into the heart of conservation in one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world. Get to know the locals and work closely with the elephants for an unforgettable experience.

Accommodation and food

You will live in a shared volunteer house with stunning views out over reservoirs and mountains. The accommodation is basic and rustic. You will be sharing a room with 2 - 3 other volunteers with shared bathrooms. Three delicious local meals are served each day.

Free time
You will be working on this project from Monday - Friday each week, with evenings and weekends free. In the evenings, volunteers enjoy eating dinner together, playing board games, chatting, reading and star gazing.

At the weekend, you have the amazing opportunity to travel further afield to see some of Sri Lanka's key tourist destinations - ancient temples, huge caves, beautiful beaches and glorious National Parks.