Konni Elephant Training Center
Konni is among the most prominent elephant training centers in Kerala. Located in the Pathanamthitta district, it attracts visitors in large numbers throughout the year. One of the major attractions here is the giant wooden cages used to house the elephants. Locally known as Aanakoodu, they can house up to 3 to 4 elephants at a time.
The primary focus of the trainers here is to deal with the development of baby elephants that have been separated from their herd or been found hurt somewhere. The trainers have traditional methods that have been passed down through generations to deal with these situations. The elephants are taught to obey specific commands and are taken for special exercise walks in the morning, are given baths and specific diets.
At Konni, one gets to observe this training procedure in person. The baby elephants love playing with the guests and are especially friendly with children. Bigger elephants are used for rides around the place and are a favorite among all who visit the place.