Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home milk feeding: soya formula nutrition and release criteria?

The Elephant Transit Home (ETH) in Udawalawe rehabilitates orphaned wild elephant calves with the explicit mandate of returning them to unfenced wild herds. Calves arriving under 6 months of age are fed specialized lactose-free soy infant formula fortified with vegetable oils and mineral supplements delivered four times daily via elevated wooden feeding chutes to prevent human imprinting. As calves mature past 2 years, staff introduce wild grasses, tree bark, and foliage. Release occurs between 4 and 5 years of age when males and females have developed robust tusks/tushes, robust social herd bonds with peer orphans, and verified independent foraging skills inside Udawalawe National Park.