Moti collapsed because of a long history of untreated fracture of his front leg and severe infection in the foot pad and toenails in addition to multiple health issues all of which compounded by severe lack of veterinary care.
The footpad on Moti’s left limb was found to be severely damaged and shredded from the foot base and raw tissue found exposed caused by negligence, lack of medical attention and continuous work despite the compromised medical condition. Moti was found to be in immense pain from the affected leg, severe inflammation in the elbow region, pus-filled infection as well as the torn foot pad.
Moti also had several damaged and fractured digits and avulsion in the toenails. His right forelimb was found to be severely infected and inflamed caused by a suspected fracture near the elbow region.
Moti’s Blood test results also indicate that his kidney and liver functions may be compromised which is a huge concern for us.
We are keeping his location confidential for safety reasons.
We are providing him with painkillers, antibiotics and antihistamines along with tablets for tissue healing. He is receiving a lot of medication calibrated to reduce his infection, pain and inflammation. Treatment includes laser therapy treatment, ointment applications, intravenous fluids and hot fomentation to address the swelling in his right elbow region. A natural antiseptic solution of neem and turmeric is used for regular cleaning of his wounds.
When our team first arrived a few days ago, we found that Moti had stopped eating and drinking water. His nutrition intake had become zero. Thankfully, under the care of our veterinary and care team, he is showing signs of improvement of appetite as his pain and inflammation is reducing with the medical treatment administered to him.
He is now eating nearly 25 to 30 kilos of fresh fruits and sugarcane. While this is very far and very less from what a normal elephant his size would normally consume in a day, yet we are relieved that he has started eating. If he stops eating and drinking, that could be fatal for him. We are delighted to see his appetite improve.
At the moment Moti is extremely weak and is unable to stand on his own. Our hope is that his body starts responding well to the treatment so he can slowly get strong enough to stand and be fit enough to be transported standing in the elephant ambulance to our elephant hospital. However, our veterinarians have prepared us that he might not survive that journey due to his chronic condition and previous medical history and poor health.
His prognosis is grave and he is in a critical condition.
Moti is about 35 years old. He is a male (bull) elephant.
Due to the severe swelling and inflammation in the right foreleg and hardened mass of pus and inflammation, the X-ray radiographs are unable to penetrate the mass to give us a clear image of the bone outlines. We are getting blurred images of the affected area.
To change his position, we would have to lift Moti up again with a crane. Due to the swelling of the right forelimb and the overall weak condition of the elephant, he is unable to stand or support himself using his affected leg and collapses immediately. His left leg has a torn and painful foot pad. For now, we don’t want to cause him further stress but will attempt to change his position as soon as it’s feasible for him.
We are administering fluid therapy, energy supplements like amino acids in addition to a host of additives and support medication.
His footpad is in a critical state and we are cleaning the footpad with antiseptic wash then applying medication to reduce the inflammation and covering the exposed sole ulcer. According to our vets, once the sole ulcer has dried a bit, we can consider cutting the detached sole pad but cutting the detached sole pad will expose it to external infection and increase the sensitivity in the area. This is a very delicate procedure and has to be done with utmost care and precision.
At this stage, we are focusing on treating the sole ulcer. Only when it heals will we be able to determine the next course of action.
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Yes, Sanjay is the biggest elephant in terms of size/height as compared to all our rescued elephants at our centers. He is approx. 50 years old.
The tusks of captive bull elephants are often trimmed to make them safer to work with in captivity. The ivory trimmed off Sanjay’s tusks was illegally sold by his former owners in the black market in the illegal wildlife trade. We currently do not have details about the whereabouts of his ivory, but our intelligence gathering team is working on that. If and when we learn about his ivory, we shall work with the authorities to address that issue.
Like we mentioned above, we had a really small window of 36 hours to move the elephant after which it could take us months or even years to even locate him again. With the court case pending against them, the owners would do everything in their power to make the elephant ‘disappear’ before he could be taken to safety, should they get their hands on him again. We knew about his health condition and we did not want to lose our chance to help him and show kindness through human hands.
A twist of fate brought the elephant under the custody of the forest department and they requested our intervention. Years of abuse and mistreatment had had a detrimental effect on the elephant’s health. Partially blind in the left eye, Sanjay was severely malnourished with severe wounds on his body and even tail. The elephant’s feet are also in a terrible condition with overgrown toenails and inflammation.
The district Court had issued an order stating that the elephant be sent to the Elephant Conservation and Care Center in Mathura. Although we initially planned to rescue this elephant after securing additional land for the elephants, we were then informed that there was a secret effort to get a stay on the court order and if that happened then the elephant would disappear and there were strong chances that we may never find him again. We realized that we had to act fast and had a really small window of 36 hours to move the elephant after which it could take us months or even years to locate him again.
As opposed to female elephants who are more social and relatively easier to manage, bull elephants can be quite unpredictable, aggressive, easily frightened and moody, particularly when they are in musth. The unpredictability of the bull elephants’ behaviour makes these animals far more difficult to manage, forcing us to make difficult decisions for the welfare and well-being of these elephants. Therefore, to ensure each bull elephant gets the exercise he needs to keep his joints and muscles in good health, it is essential that these bull elephants get the walk they deserve every single day. When we take these bull elephants on long walks, they can easily get spooked and frightened by buffaloes, goats, local dogs, tractors or sounds of thunder and lightning and can sometimes run amok making it very difficult to control them and also to keep them safe. Therefore, in the interest of the safety of these bull elephants, it is sometimes unavoidable for the mahout or elephant keeper to sit atop the bull elephant to reassure the elephant that he is safe and has the company of the mahout beside him and he has no reason to be frightened or scared.
The purpose of this is solely for exercising the elephant. This is done simply for the welfare of the elephant – exercise and the enrichment of a walk which is critical for the elephant’s well-being. The mahout or keeper sits atop the bull elephant only and only in cases where this is the only way to give the bull elephant this exercise while keeping it safe. No one other than the mahout or elephant care taker ever does this and certainly no rides are offered to any one at all ever!
Only our trained and trusted mahouts ride the elephant while exercising it and they do so with just a cloth on the back of the elephant making it almost “bareback” and without the paraphernalia of a ‘howdah’. We NEVER allow anyone else to the ride these elephants. Our mahouts also ensure that they are sitting in a manner that causes least discomfort to the elephant and does not hurt the elephant in any way. Its important to note that this is very different from tourists riding an elephant with a ‘howdah’ which could weigh hundreds of kilos combined with the weight of several tourists which is certainly not in the interest of the elephants.
Captive or domesticated elephants are accustomed to human presence and human touch, while wild elephants are generally wary of human beings. This can make it both stressful and difficult to treat a wild elephant. In addition, the problems and ailments for which a wild elephant requires treatment are generally quite different from those of captive elephants, and pose a new challenge to the vet.
People can spread awareness about the plight of begging, performing and circus elephants in India and they can refuse to watch animals perform or take elephant rides. This should be managed in every country through travel advisories, travel agents and tour companies so tourists visiting India don’t inadvertently promote cruelty and abuse of captive elephants. Volunteer with our elephant projects and help us hands on. We need committed volunteers to help us gather evidence, facilitate documentation and also help us with campaign efforts, awareness camps as well as working in the elephant care center with our team members.
Email us at info@wildlifesos.org if you would like to volunteer
We are facing legal battles for many of the elephants which we rescue or wish to rescue which makes the process very slow and difficult. We also need to be able to generate adequate support to cover legal costs as well as to provide these elephants medical attention, veterinary facilities and lifetime care. Once these elephants have been brought to the Centre, we need to address the elephant’s needs of an exercise yard, a pool, enrichment etc which requires funds.
As opposed to female elephants who are more social and relatively easier to manage, bull elephants can be quite unpredictable, aggressive, easily frightened and moody, particularly when they are in musth. The unpredictability of the bull elephants’ behaviour makes these animals far more difficult to manage, forcing us to make difficult decisions for the welfare and well-being of these elephants. Therefore, to ensure each bull elephant gets the exercise he needs to keep his joints and muscles in good health, it is essential that these bull elephants get the walk they deserve every single day. When we take these bull elephants on long walks, they can easily get spooked and frightened by buffaloes, goats, local dogs, tractors or sounds of thunder and lightning and can sometimes run amok making it very difficult to control them and also to keep them safe. Therefore, in the interest of the safety of these bull elephants, it is sometimes unavoidable for the mahout or elephant keeper to sit atop the bull elephant to reassure the elephant that he is safe and has the company of the mahout beside him and he has no reason to be frightened or scared.
The purpose of this is solely for exercising the elephant. This is done simply for the welfare of the elephant – exercise and the enrichment of a walk which is critical for the elephant’s well-being. The mahout or keeper sits atop the bull elephant only and only in cases where this is the only way to give the bull elephant this exercise while keeping it safe. No one other than the mahout or elephant care taker ever does this and certainly no rides are offered to any one at all ever!
Only our trained and trusted mahouts ride the elephant while exercising it and they do so with just a cloth on the back of the elephant making it almost “bareback” and without the paraphernalia of a ‘howdah’. We NEVER allow anyone else to the ride these elephants. Our mahouts also ensure that they are sitting in a manner that causes least discomfort to the elephant and does not hurt the elephant in any way. Its important to note that this is very different from tourists riding an elephant with a ‘howdah’ which could weigh hundreds of kilos combined with the weight of several tourists which is certainly not in the interest of the elephants.
It may be your dream to ride an elephant, but it is an elephant’s worst nightmare to be ridden. Here’s what goes into making an elephant “rideable”:
Illegality persists in the elephant riding industry despite strict laws, with owners unashamedly flouting rules and lacking requisite ownership paperwork – taking advantage of the difficulty of enforcement to break all welfare and conservation laws.
Most elephants in captivity have been poached from the wild, stolen away from their families as babies and then sold into cruel captivity. While there are some that are bred in captivity, this is extremely difficult and rare, as the neglect and abuse elephants face in captivity makes it difficult and often dangerous for them to conceive and give birth. Even if bred in captivity, elephant calves are separated from their mothers much too early and have to undergo the same brutal breaking-in process suffering extreme trauma.
The indoctrination process of a captive elephant is extremely brutal. The animal is caged, or tightly restrained for weeks while people beat it and force it to obey commands – a process known as ‘phajaan’ or the breaking of the spirit. The objective is to destroy any wild spirit within the elephant, to drive fear into it to the extent that it is too terrified to ever retaliate. In order to make it possible for anyone to ride the elephant, it has to be broken.
The strong maternal bond between an elephant calf and its mother is well-documented. An elephant mother fiercely looks after its calf and teaches it the necessary social and life skills needed for survival. In the wild, the calf learns to engage in complex social behaviour and problem solving, that enriches it psychologically. However, in captivity a calf is deprived of this critical bond and a chance to learn these important life skills.
Elephants are mighty endangered species. India, with nearly 60% of the world’s few remaining wild Asian elephants, remains the last stronghold of this incredible species in the wild. Their numbers in the wild look bleak at merely 22,000-27,000. At this rate of loss, India could lose the entire wild elephant population in the next 5 to 10 years if steps are not taken to conserve and protect them. To lose the few remaining wild elephants to simply abuse them to fuel the tourism industry is not only extremely irresponsible, but it could also spell doom for the entire species.
WHEN YOU RIDE AN ELEPHANT, YOU ENCOURAGE AND CREATE DEMAND FOR ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF ELEPHANTS FROM THE WILD!
The indoctrination process of a captive elephant is extremely cruel. The animal is tightly restrained for months while people beat it and force it to obey commands – a process known as phajaan or breaking of the spirit. The objective of this process is to simply destroy the wilful, independent spirit of the elephant to instill fear such that the elephant is too terrified to ever retaliate.
Unfortunately, it is still legal to use an elephant for rides, if the owner has proper documents in place and adheres to the stipulated guidelines.
Any facility that offers rides to tourists is abusing the elephants to keep them controllable while it is being ridden or painted over by humans.
Instead look for shelters that house rescued animals, that do not offer rides to tourists, and in fact work towards sensitizing the public about issues related to wildlife conservation and welfare or Sanctuaries and National Parks where you can see wild elephants.
That said, however, beware as many private and abusive elephant tourist spots will claim to be sanctuaries/rescue centres and claim their elephants are rescued, when they are actually bought and continue to be exploited for tourist entertainment and commercial activities such as parades, temple ceremonies and other functions.
No, it is not safe for tourists to ride an elephant. Elephants are wild animals, and despite years of breaking in, sudden triggers like fear or stress can cause them to retaliate against their abusers. This results in a dangerous rampage in which multiple people are killed or injured and substantial damage is done to property. Very often, in a bid to escape their torturous lives, these elephants run amuck – putting at risk the lives of tourists and bystanders nearby, as well as the persons riding them. In 2005, two Belgian tourists in Jaipur were injured and their tour guide killed by an elephant when they were trying to take a picture with it. In 2011, a South Korean couple was critically injured after the elephant they were riding at Amer Fort started to run amuck, throwing the two from her back.
In addition, elephants in captivity lead stressful lives and are exposed to and carry contagious diseases like tuberculosis, which their weakened immunities are unable to tackle – and this can easily pass this on to other elephants or any human that interacts with them.
We can take it for granted that all elephants being used for tourist rides are and have been brutally abused. There is no other way to make a wild animal conducive to being ridden. The elephant when used commercially is like a piece of equipment that earns money hand over fist.
You can look for tell-tale signs of physical and mental stress including cracked toenails, overgrown, cracked footpads, visible wounds and scars, blindness (opacity of the corneas), old age or dehydration (sunken temples), malnourishment (prominently visible spines and hollows in the head), and stereotypy (repetitive, monotonous motion like head bobbing, swaying or weaving that indicate extreme mental stress and trauma). You can also check if the elephant is chained, has rope burns and wounds from restraints; or if the keeper is using weapons like spears or a nail embedded in a harmless looking piece of wood to inflict pain on the animal, or shouts loudly in order to make their elephant obey commands.
Besides the physical and mental abuse that an elephant faces to become rideable, the very act of riding is also physically torturous to the elephant. It may seem innocuous considering the large size of an elephant, but the protruding spine of the elephant is often forced to bear the entire weight of the ‘howdah’, the mahout and the tourists, resulting in excessive pressure on the spine, which leads to deformities, wounds and permanent disabilities. These elephants often develop burns, sores and wounds from the ropes that tie the carrier on, and the weight can result in them losing balance and breaking their legs – a broken leg is generally untreatable in an elephant causing permanent disability, early arthritis and painful joints or even death. The surface and inclination on which the elephant is made to walk can also lead to the wearing off of their sensitive footpads, especially if the path is rocky, tarred and prone to overheating, and if it is a hilly or an uneven terrain.
No! Elephants do not belong in captivity – they belong in the wild and are wild animals. In order for tourists to be able to sit on their backs and ride them, they have to be poached from the wild, separated from their families and then beaten and abused in order to make them “ride-able for tourists. The heavy metal and wood contraption which is perched on their backs for your comfort called ‘howdah’ weighs a lot and combined with the weight of the tourists, becomes very heavy and damages their spine irreversibly.
That’s where you come in! The ever-increasing demand from tourists for elephant rides is keeping this grotesque industry alive. If tourists stop riding elephants, this abuse and exploitation will also end! As long as there are huge profits to be made by exploiting these animals, the abuse and exploitation of the animals in the tourism and entertainment industry will continue.
SAY NO TO ELEPHANT RIDES, BE A RESPONSIBLE TOURIST!
Encourage and support only responsible tourism projects, which do not offer elephant rides and are reputed conservation centres, sanctuaries, national parks and wildlife reserves- where tourists and animal lovers are educated about these special creatures in a conducive space that is safe for everyone involved.
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