Trunk Tales: Calm And Curious Zara!

Separated from her mother at a tender age to be forced into harsh servitude for the next two decades — such was the life of Zara, till a glimmer of hope finally shone on her path. Zara is one of the youngest elephants at the Elephant Hospital Campus, and her calm, curious and resilient nature fill us with wonder. While her life has seen a[…]

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Bear Of The Month – Zara

Over a decade ago, two young Asiatic black bears were found huddled within the trunk of a burnt Chinar tree. In a most unfortunate incident, the mother of the cubs was attacked by villagers who perceived her as a threat. Leaving her young cubs in the only safe place she could find, the mother bear tried to defend herself — but in vain. She was[…]

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Zara Celebrates First Rescueversary With Wildlife SOS

At Wildlife SOS, first rescue anniversaries celebrate the journey of freedom that our elephants embark upon. Each rescued elephant brings with them their own share of burdened memories, lack of rest and their weak bodies riddled with scars and wounds. An elephant’s memory is applauded for their ability to never forget but when such memories of[…]

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Elephant Of The Month – Zara

Awake and alert at the crack of dawn, Zara stands at the corner of her free-ranging field and lightly rumbles out to her neighbouring pachyderms. This activity has become a part of her daily routine and she thoroughly enjoys doing it every day without fail, often receiving responses from Walnut and Peanut! Her petite structure and small ears make […]

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Off Comes Zara’s Bell!

In the day and age of technology, no distance seems too much as we connect to our dear ones through video calls across various platforms! For us, the dearest ones are the rescued animals under our care, who we are unable to meet as regularly as we would, owing to the travel restrictions levied since the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic. The[…]

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One Month Into Zara’s Journey With Wildlife SOS!

Taking timid steps into her new surroundings, a month ago, Zara walked out of the Elephant Ambulance and straight into our hearts! Her largely compromised gait and her frail structure spoke volumes on how she was in dire need of medical attention. Ailing elephants that come to the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital spend their initial few days[…]

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Zara begins her Healing Journey at Wildlife SOS!

For a weak, emaciated elephant, dragging herself through the day, with the overbearing weight of a carrier, will no longer be the cause of her misery. Her frail structure held testimony to the life that she lived as a begging elephant moving from pillar-to-post. We now call her “Zara” which means princess – something that she rightly would […]

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Zara

Year of arrival: 2020 Age at the time of arrival: about 21 years-old Sex: Female Personality traits: Calm and cooperative Recognisable features: A hole in her right ear Facility: Treatment Unit at ECCC Favourite food: Watermelons Closest to: Arya Favourite activities: Enjoys splashing around the water from her bucket of[…]

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8 Fascinating Facts About An Elephant’s Trunk!

Elephants, the majestic giants of the animal kingdom, possess a remarkable feature that sets them apart – their extraordinary trunk! This incredible appendage, composed of around 150,000 muscle units, ranks them as one of the most sensitive organs found in any mammal. Let us delve into the fascinating world of elephant trunks, exploring their[…]

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Rescues From The Helpline – October 2023

The Wildlife SOS 24x7 rescue helplines were abuzz with concerned calls from citizens for rescues in the month of October. Increasing urbanisation and habitat encroachment have led to several animal encounters amidst human settlements. However, rising awareness among people has also led to an increase in rescue calls, thereby preventing[…]

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Spooky Season Takes Over Wildlife SOS!

It’s that time of the year when the air gets chilly, and an eerie feeling sets over the Wildlife SOS centres. Why, you ask? Because every Halloween, our teams ensure that the resident animals take part in the thrilling festival as well! As an annual tradition, the staff come together to create different Halloween enrichments for the animals[…]

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Health Challenges Faced By Rescued Animals At Wildlife SOS

Today, numerous animals require rescuing from various situations. As an organisation that actively runs and manages over 10 rescue centres across the country, it is no surprise that each of our facilities is a sanctuary to many animals that are under the long-term care of Wildlife SOS. Animals staying in captivity for a long period of time[…]

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The Emotional Intelligence of Different Animals

Do animals have emotions? The question has riddled many minds over the centuries. Art, literature, and cinema have often depicted various animals with an ability to demonstrate emotions just the way humans do. This is largely due to our tendency to anthropomorphise animals, but interestingly, research has shown that animals actually do have a[…]

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How Do Brown Bears And Black Bears Coexist In the Himalayas?

The majestic Himalayas are known for their breathtaking landscapes, snow-capped peaks, and diverse ecosystems. Now, picture this stunning terrain with two animal species: the Himalayan brown bear and the Asiatic black bear. While it's a delight for a wildlife enthusiast to witness the two, their presence here also raises some intriguing[…]

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The Healing Journey Of Elephants Rescued From Distress

Elephants rescued by Wildlife SOS have often endured a life marked by mistreatment, which leaves them emotionally and physically weak to express their natural behaviours. These experiences can lead to physical harm, trauma, fear, and even aggressive tendencies. Years of abuse leave lasting scars upon these elephants who often require long-term[…]

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Behavioural Trauma In Rescued Animals

What is trauma? Conveying a deeply disturbing or emotionally damaging experience with long-lasting psychological impact, trauma is regarded as a primary factor behind mental health issues. The word has been used as an anthropocentric concept for time immemorial. However, did you know that trauma can be experienced by different animals as[…]

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Wildlife SOS in California!

Join us in San Francisco and Los Angeles for a brunch to save elephants! Toast for Tusks is a VIP event geared for Wildlife SOS supporters who want to connect more deeply with our work. Meet our co-founders Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani. March 26 in San Francisco April 1 in Los Angeles Meet the founders, ask questions[…]

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Exploring The Plight Of Animals On World Freedom Day

The Cambridge dictionary defines the word ‘freedom’ as “the condition or right of being able or allowed to do, say, think, etc. whatever you want to, without being controlled or limited.” In this definition, the emphasis on ‘you’, as a human being, is a clear indication. However, who is to speak of this freedom for animals such as[…]

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ECCC Plays Host To Miss Universe Great Britain 2022

As the elephants at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) in Mathura were preparing for a regular day, they were oblivious to the fact that some special visitors, who had been eagerly waiting to meet them, were on their way! Among them was Miss Universe Great Britain 2022 Noky Simbani, who undertook a conservation[…]

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Elephant Of The Month – Arya

Imagine living your life surrounded by the blaring horns of vehicles. Arya was forced to spend most of her life in similar horrifying conditions, as she trudged through narrow lanes and crowded streets, dotted with broken pieces of glass and pebbles – nowhere near the natural, soft surfaces which elephants are meant to walk on. Being[…]

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Elephant Of The Month – Ginger

For most of her life, Ginger was adorned with colourful chalk paint and made to walk on hot tarmac roads as a begging elephant. She was subjected to regular beatings, starvation, and a cruel apathy. Ginger lived under the constant threat of being beaten or prodded with a bullhook (ankush). Sheer brutality eventually led to her becoming blind.[…]

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Cool Measures On Hot Days For Our Elephants And Bears

Mercury levels are hitting records of up to 49°C in the hotter parts of the country, which is basically the Summer saying, “Look! I am here.” Since the summer season can be difficult in India due to being located in the tropics, the dedicated team at Wildlife SOS ensures that a summer care plan is implemented to help our elephants and bears […]

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Giants Enslaved: The Decline Of Asian Elephants

Elephants have always been seen across various cultures as a symbol of strength and wisdom. The motif of the Asian elephant has been prevalent in mythology since time immemorial, with the giants featuring in art, poetry, steatite seals, and other items found in archaeological excavations. Despite being a fascinating species and a cultural[…]

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Love (or something like it) In The Jungle

Love - a chemical and an arguably ephemeral experience, has dictated the ebbs and flows of society for centuries.  Infact one might argue that the euphoria of love and its constant desire has shaped human communities worldwide. Despite its importance, love eludes us, leaving even the greatest thinkers puzzled about its exact nature. Yet,[…]

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What Is A Begging Elephant?

You might be wondering where the question mark is in that query. But for us at Wildlife SOS, it is not a question but a reality which we have been dealing with for a long time, and still do. So we will try to answer what a begging elephant is as best as we can. These elephants are emaciated and malnourished, and made to walk on the streets of[…]

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Tracing Arya’s First Year Of Freedom With Wildlife SOS

Making her way to the Yamuna riverside, blind Arya uses her trunk to trace the ground and carefully listens to the natural sounds around her. The excited chirping of birds and the soft current of the river water instantly calms her down as she lifts her trunk in delight. Zara, her dear companion and one of the youngest elephants under our care,[…]

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Celebrating Elephant Appreciation Day at Wildlife SOS!

In 1996, Wayne Hepburn, owner of Mission Media, received an elephant paperweight as a gift from his daughter. This triggered Wayne’s fascination with the majestic pachyderms, and he went on to create Elephant Appreciation Day, celebrated on the 22nd of September every year. Despite its rather facile origin, Elephant Appreciation Day evolved[…]

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Caring For Young Elephants

What do Coconut, Laxmi, Ramu and Zara share in common? Apart from the fact that they’re all rescued from traumatic conditions, they are all highly mischievous and the youngest residents of the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre. Learn all about how we care for the young elephants. [Photo (c) Wildlife SOS/Mradul[…]

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Socialisation Of Rescued Elephants At Wildlife SOS

Elephant herds are the living examples of the strongest familial relationships in the wild, each member of the herd has a role to play to ensure that the herd is safe. For an animal that thrives in the company of similar majestic beings, a life in captivity is nothing short of torture and injustice. This is precisely why, when rescued elephants,[…]

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From Tormented Souls To Happy Feet At Wildlife SOS

The elephant proudly holds the title of the largest living land mammal on the planet, which means that the weight of this responsibility rests on their strong limbs. Their body weight is divided on their forelimbs and hindlimbs in a 60 to 40 ratio. At first glance of their large feet, the wide nails and thick skin hide the intricate skeletal[…]

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“Why haven’t you removed the bell around that elephant’s neck?”

One of the most common questions we get after saving an elephant is, “why does she still have a bell on?” It’s an emotional subject because after all, it’s a symbol of their brutal life laboring on the streets. Despite their size and weight, elephants can walk very quietly. When they’re in an unnatural setting like a busy city,[…]

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Rescues from the helpline – December, 2020

Every month, we receive hundreds of calls regarding urban wildlife in distress. Wildlife SOS operates 24×7 emergency rescue helplines in three cities: Delhi NCR – +91-9871963535 Agra & Mathura in Uttar Pradesh – +91-9917109666 Vadodara, Gujarat – +91-9825011117 If you come across any wild animal in distress, please alert[…]

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Rescued Elephants Welcome Winters at Wildlife SOS

As the bright sunshine pierces through the dense fog and mist of the morning, our elephants can be seen pausing amidst their walks to bask under the sun at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre. The month of December, with its unpredictable and delightful rainfall, prepared us all for a chilly winter that was lurking around the[…]

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Holiday Cheer With Elephants and Bears!

From all of us at Wildlife SOS, we wish you and those close to you a happy holidays, merry Christmas and happy new year! Thank you for your care and compassion for India's wildlife. Every holiday season, the Wildlife SOS staff loves to prepare special treats for the elephants, bears, leopards and other wildlife in our[…]

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Giving Tuesday – Monumental “Then and Now” Images

A huge thank you from Wildlife SOS for all your Giving Tuesday 2020 support! We shared some striking "then and now" videos and images that really demonstrate the impact we've all made in these beautiful animals' lives. If you missed them on our Facebook and Instagram pages, you can see them here. If you would like to support Wildlife SOS[…]

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Elephant of the Month: Holly

Holly was the first elephant to receive treatment at our Elephant Hospital, for her grave injuries. The 61-year-old blind elephant was diagnosed with a serious condition of osteoarthritis that she continues to suffer from, owing to her painful past as a begging elephant. Holly, during her initial days at the Field of Dreams, would spend her[…]

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Musth, and the Challenges of Caring for Bull Elephants

Musth (pronounced “must”) is an annual hormonal cycle that naturally occurs in adult male bull elephants. The condition can last anywhere from a few days, to as long as several months. Physical and behavioral changes are characterised by as much as a 100x increase in testosterone levels, highly aggressive behaviour, secretion of a[…]

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Spooktacular Halloween at Wildlife SOS!

The end of October brings chills down our spines and we have more than the sudden dip in the temperatures to blame! The spooky season and the Halloween celebrations have become an annual fall tradition, not only for our rescued elephants, sloth bears and leopards but even our animal care staff. They got into the Halloween spirit by carving out[…]

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And Then There Were Four

A wave of jubilation encapsulated the Wildlife SOS Field of Dreams as our dear Zara took firm steps to the next and most important part of her healing journey – introduction to her herd! Zara, Holly, Kalpana and Karma (L to R) enjoying a sunny day after fresh rains! [Photo (c) Wildlife SOS/Mradul Pathak] Zara has been making remarkable[…]

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Arya

Year of arrival: 2020 Age at the time of arrival: about 50 years-old Sex: Female Personality traits: Capricious and alert Recognisable features: Depigmented borders on her ears, almost as tall as Phoolkali, stands with her head slightly raised Present health condition: Completely blind in both eyes, overgrown and cracked[…]

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Surreal Splash for Our Rescued Pachyderms!

Time and again, your feeds on social media will be filled with one of our rescued elephants splashing around in the pools in their enclosures or napping comfortably in it. More often than not, an image of our elephants completely submerged in water with just a trunk lazily hanging on the edge shows their complete relaxation and joy. In the[…]

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Meet Aaliya Mir, The Backbone Of The Wildlife SOS Kashmir Center

The small wooden boat rocks precariously as it navigates through the marshy water of the Hokersar Wetland Reserve. Aaliya Mir, perched on the edge of the boat, points out migratory birds as they fly out of the golden reeds and into the blue sky, against the stunning background of the magnificent snow-capped mountains of the Pir Panjal range.[…]

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Sibling Love

By Aaliya Mir February 7, 2014: Raja and Zara are three-year-old Moon Bears in Pahalgam. Rescued a little less than three years ago, these cubs would not have made it if Wildlife SOS had not intervened. The two siblings were found in the trunk of a hollow Chinar tree in the Tral area of the Shopian Division of Kashmir. The Tral area was[…]

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A journey of two moon bear cubs in photos

Over two years ago, two young moon bears were rescued from the trunk of a Chinar tree.  The two orphaned bears were then turned over to Wildlife SOS. In the hands of our caring staff they were nurtured back to health.  They were also named Raja and Zara. At the rescue center the cubs grew strong by climbing up the logs, playing on the swings[…]

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Hotline Number | हॉटलाइन नंबर

Delhi NCT Region +91-9871963535
Agra Region (UP) +91-9917109666
Vadodra Region +91-9825011117
J&K Region +91 7006692300
+91 9419778280