Earlier elephants captured from the Malayatoor forests (the forests in the east and north of Kodanad) were trained here. In 1977 the elephant capturing came to an end, but the elephant-training center are still in function here.

Kodanad is now primarily used as a rescue training center, and houses baby elephants at their infancy and various stages of their growth. At least four to six baby elephants are brought in and trained every year.

Tourists arrive at Kodanad fascinated by baby elephant’s various stages of development at the Care center. Training plays an important role for elephants while their brains develop and they learn vital survival and cultural knowledge. The baby elephants at Kodanad are owned and taken care of by the Department of Forest. Once they become adults, they are sold through auctions.

There is also a mini zoo at Kodanad sheltering wild animals which have become unfit for survival in the forest. It also houses some of the rare animal species found in the Malayatoor Forest.

In Kerala, elephants are the most ornamental and auspicious animals and no festival or celebration is complete without an elephant procession.

Kodanad is in the list of Ecotourism destination projects supported by the Government of India. As a part of this project, Kaprikkad, a village lying 3km adjacent to Kodanad on the river bank has been set up in 2006 for entertaining visitors in the most natural and environmental friendly way.

Muthanga of Wayanad district and Konni of Pathanamthitta district are two other such centers in Kerala. Another attraction for elephant lovers is Punnathur kotta, of the neighboring Thrissur district, where some 40 elephants of the Guruvayoor temple are groomed.