This scheme will be entitled to have certain privileges to the foster parents.
* The caretaker can give a name to the baby elephant which he or she looks after.
* He or she will be allowed to take photographs of that elephant.
* Name of the foster parent and the elephant will be displayed.
* A free circuit bungalow will be offered to the foster parent in Udawalawa National Park for two days per year.
* The Department of Wildlife Conservation gives publicity to caretaker and the elephant.
* At the time the baby elephant is set free arrangements will be made for the foster parent.
Releasing Programme of the Elephants
The elephant calves have been looked after until they become 5 years old. After that age limit they have to be released to the wild to adapt the conditions. Before being released to the wild, baby elephants are fitted with radio collars to help wildlife officials to monitor their movements, behaviour and progress. Elephant dung is diluted and rubbed on their bodies to help them achieve the 'jungle smell' and erase any human smells that they might have developed during their stay at the elephant transit centre. Dung bath is also essential otherwise wild elephants will not accept the newcomers. Due to some relationships built up with the caretakers in the transit centre, some elephants reject to leave the centre while they are being loaded into transportation vehicles. That is why the transit centre gives their full strength to keep these elephant calves away from human beings.
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