Blog Update
What Do Elephants Eat at an Elephant Sanctuary?
May
What do elephants eat? At an elephant sanctuary, elephants eat mostly grass and leaves, whatever the taste, to keep their appetite healthy and varied. Common choices include Napier grass and Bana grass, which are sweet, easy to digest and full of nutrients.
Grass and leaves: the daily staple
Grass and leafy plants make up the bulk of an elephant’s diet. Because elephants are so large, they spend many hours a day feeding to get enough energy. Sweet grasses like Napier and Bana grass are favourites and provide the fibre their digestion needs.
Fruit and supplementary food
On top of grass, elephants enjoy fruit such as bananas, sugarcane and watermelon as supplementary food. Sanctuaries may also offer sticky rice and tamarind, which add the natural sweetness elephants love. These treats are given in sensible amounts alongside their main diet.
Feeding the elephants yourself
On a visit to Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary you help prepare the elephants’ food in the Elephant Cooking Activity, then hand it out yourself. Curious about quantities? See how much elephants eat in a day.
Visit the elephants yourself 🐘
Spend a hands-on, ethical half-day with our rescued elephants near Siem Reap — feed them, join a mud bath and bathe them in the river. Hotel pick-up from Siem Reap included.
Book your elephant experience →