| The Kuala Gandah elephant center in Malaysia is home to several Asian elephants, some of whom are part of the centre's important elephant Translocation Program, some of whom are orphaned baby elephants.
The Kuala Gandah elephant centre operates on a relatively small budget and consequently has difficulty maximizing its potential as a haven for Asian elephants. In the past this has been the crux of an unfortunate situation for the resident elephants who were kept chained virtually 24 hours a day. The chains prevented these intelligent and social animals from moving and interacting with one another. The elephants were in deep distress. In the year 2000, the non-profit, non-governmental entity, the Malaysian Elephant Appeal was formed by a group of volunteers to help improve the situation at Kuala Gandah. The Appeal's first project was the creation of an enclosed area in which the elephants could be free to roam. The Appeal then proceeded with several other initiatives that also greatly improved the health and welfare of the resident elephants, as well as strengthened the educational capacity of the Kuala Gandah elephant centre. These days, the Appeal continues to contribute to infrastructure projects at Kuala Gandah, but also engages in environmental preservation, environmental education, community outreach and public awareness raising initiatives in Malaysia.
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