Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (Elephant camp)

Elephant Conservation & Care Centre (Elephant camp) is India’s first and only specialised elephant centre that was established in 2010 in the district of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department. The primary objective behind establishing the centre was to rehabilitate severely abused and exploited elephants. ECCC is now home to over 30 rescued elephants and is a living, breathing conservation education platform to change public perception to support elephant conservation. All elephants at the camp were rescued from extreme distress. Some were privately owned and had a cruel history of being used for begging, while others spent a lifetime in captivity and confinement as temple elephants or were being coerced to perform in circuses.

No longer forced to bear heavy loads, or walk on hot pavements, these majestic creatures are finally able to spend their days happily, with frequent baths, a nutritious diet, and good veterinary care. The centre is full of natural vegetation with enough open fields around for their daily walks and several trees to scratch themselves against, thus making it closest to the natural habitat of the elephants. Water pools have been provided to the elephants with free access for them to bathe and play.

ECCC and the Elephant Hospital Campus are bordered by the river Yamuna, and surrounded by forested land. A 10-minute walk through a lush green field leads our elephants to the river where they enjoy taking long and relaxing dips!

Elephant Conservation & Care Centre (Elephant camp) is under the administration of Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh. Correspondence with the Central Zoo Authority is undertaken by the relevant state authorities, while Wildlife SOS provides technical and operational support, including animal care, feeding and enrichment.