Seventy-year-old Gajraj is finally free after being rescued by animal rights activists, and is being transferred to the lifetime care of Wildlife SOS at their Elephant Care and Conservation Center (ECCC) in Mathura.
Wildlife SOS rescued the elephant from Aundh in Satara district amidst heavy police protection with cooperation from the Forest Department.
The elephant, belonging to the Queen of Aundh, was used in temple processions for over 51 years.
With advancing age, the elephant was found to be suffering from several medical issues like foot abscess, partial blindness etc.
Gajraj performed his duties for over five decades as a temple elephant where local devotees saw him as an icon of worship, as he played an important role in festivities and temple processions.
His long journey as a temple elephant came to an abrupt end on Thursday, as he finally retired and was moved in an ambulance from Satara to Mathura for his long-term medical treatment and lifetime care.
A PETA campaign brought attention to Gajraj’s plight.
A medical examination had revealed that Gajraj required medical attention for his toenail abscess, which could spread to the bone in addition to the hip abscesses, while his foot pads suffered severe degeneration. This made him a candidate for geriatric life time care at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Center.
The royal family of Aundh gave him a warm farewell. The local villagers, however, became very emotional and hostile.
To read the full article, click on the story title
Welcome to Elephant News India. This site is intended to be a public service to those wishing to keep up to date with events and issues affecting elephants in India.
No comments:
Post a Comment