Kuala Gandah Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks established Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre in 1989. The centre is a base for the Elephant Relocation Team, which began the elephant translocation program in 1974.

Kuala Gandah Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary, Pahang is a rare and fantastic opportunity to get up close to endemic Malaysian elephants.The only one of its kind in Malaysia, the team is dedicated to locating, subduing and then translocating problem elephants from areas where their habitats are constantly being encroached by plantations.
As well as being a base for the translocation team and a home for a number of resident elephants, Kuala Gandah also aims to promote public awareness of the elephant’s plight in Malaysian and to support research into elephants translocation and conservation. Visitors are welcome throughout the year to join the elephant activities, help wash them in the nearby river and participate in feeding.

The centre also strives to educate the public about the importance of habitat and environmental preservation. Visitors are encouraged to view a video on elephant translocation and special program can be arranged for school groups.

At present, Kuala Gandah house a number of elephant which were brought in from Thailand, India & Myanmar. The elephants are trained and used in translocation process of wild elephants in problem areas throughout Peninsular Malaysia. The centre also looks after orphaned elephants to ensure their continued survival.

It is estimated that there are only 1,200 wild Asian Elephants, also known as Elephus Maximus, left in Malaysia and this is the only conservation centre set up to relocate these displaced pachyderms.