Temple Elephant struck by lightning
[16 Apr 2001]

Lightning killed an elephant from the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, Central Sri Lanka. The elephant named, “Seetha Menike” was thirty years old.

Elephants are an integral part of Kandy's annual pageant when the sacred tooth relic in a golden casket is paraded through the streets atop a gaily-caparisoned elephant.

Elephants still work in rural Sri Lanka mainly in logging operations. Sri Lanka has an orphanage for elephants in Pinnawela, 90 km away from Colombo, where orphaned elephants are cared for.

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