Director of Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, Nihal Senaratne said that 13 baby elephants born in 2011 and two born in 2010 were named at the ceremony this evening.

The names were chosen by the visitors to the elephant sanctuary from a letter selected astrologically based on the baby elephants' birth times.

A large crowd attended the ceremony at the orphanage which is a major tourist attraction in Sri Lanka.

The orphanage houses the largest herd of captive pachyderms in the world. In 2011, there were 88 elephants, including 37 males and 51 females from 3 generations, living in the 25-acre Facility.