In February 2023, while Moti was taking his last breath, we made a promise to the dying elephant. We vowed that his death wouldn’t be in vain, and we pledged to go out into communities to provide urgently needed care for every neglected and abused elephant that we could. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and we knew Wildlife SOS staff would have to step up with ambitious, visionary leadership to better the lives of these poor animals.
The world was outraged to learn about Moti. We had an outpouring of assistance to save him, but in the end the tragedy could have been avoided if we had known about him sooner. This was possibly the hardest part for our team … if we only knew about him sooner, this young bull might be alive today.
Outreach would mean going deep into communities where begging elephants languish in the shadows. It would require making apprehensive alliances with elephant owners and gaining their trust, and in return trusting them. Of course, we would rather see these elephants immediately retired and sent to one of our rescue centres. However when that isn’t possible, providing basic healthcare and education can significantly improve the quality of life of elephants on the streets.
Begging elephants are forced to live some of the most difficult lives of all the captive elephants in India. They spend large amounts of their time either chained with little ability to move, or walking on the hot tarmac roads, and a large percentage of them are blind either from neglect or from injuries. Emotionally, they have little opportunity to socialise with other elephants and are given an energy-sapping, inadequate diet.
There are approximately 2,700 captive elephants in India. Some are in temples, some are in tourist hotspots, and many are begging in the streets. These elephants lack even basic healthcare and are managed with “traditional” brutal methods. Because many of these elephants are often illegally owned, they live the life of their criminal handlers. They are often moved at night on busy roads, and many are victims of being hit on the highways by moving vehicles.
Outreach Had An Immediate Impact
Last year after Moti’s passing, we started offering outreach of critical medical care for elephants, no questions asked. Last year we quietly helped more than a dozen elephants who would have otherwise been denied proper care. The inseparable Taj and Tara were remanded to our care, then last fall Rama was surrendered to our Elephant Hospital Campus. We’re working with the Forest Department to seize illegally held elephants, and helping legal owners to learn about the care and compassion their elephants need.
The word of our successes and goodwill got out, and we were called to care for critically injured Bani who was hit by a speeding train. She’s a wild baby elephant, but she wouldn’t have had a chance without the intervention by our expert veterinary teams well-equipped for nearly any emergency.
Quiet But Diligent Outreach Continues
This summer, we’re facing our greatest challenge yet … our medical and care staff have been helping dozens of elephants in an extremely remote area. We’re providing urgent medical care, teaching owners how to recognize signs of distress, and we’re demonstrating compassionate care techniques and management. Allowing our vets to work in quiet safety, the media and even our compassionate supporters haven’t been in on the private operations.
Our mission is to care for all elephants in distress and learn of their medical needs before they become critical. Moti’s memorial is in a peaceful garden at our Elephant Conservation and Care Centre, surrounded by the memories of Gajraj, Champa, Nina and others. His monument is an opportunity to tell visitors about the elephants’ strength in the face of overwhelming injury, and it’s a constant motivator for our rescue teams who tirelessly work to save elephants. In the coming months you’ll hear more about the many elephants we’re out in the field helping, and hope you are also inspired and motivated by Moti’s courage. From his tragedy came a strengthened resolve that every elephant deserves our care, protection and compassion.
