Blinding lights. Deafening noise. The brutal strikes of a curved bull-hook biting into flesh. Far from the scent of forests, without the reassuring touch of a family member’s trunk. This had been Mia’s life for 42 years, till this pachyderm was rescued by Wildlife SOS and rehabilitated at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC).
Separated from her mother at a tender age, Mia was employed as a circus elephant and was required to perform under disagreeable conditions. The brutal process of phajaan broke her spirit, body and mind, and she found solace only in the presence of her kindred spirits, Rhea and Sita, who were forced to mount the same circus platform as Mia. Bound by the common tragedy, the three pachyderms would perform before a crowd of jubilant faces, most of whom were ignorant of the physical and mental pain the elephants were suffering from.
Mia’s dark and difficult circumstances finally took a bright turn in 2015, when Wildlife SOS stepped in. Along with Mia, Sita was rescued, given their advanced age and the necessity for urgent medical attention. However, our attempt had been to rescue the three together to ensure that the trio remained united as they were freed from the shackles of the circus.
And soon, we were successful in making this happen! Mia and Sita were joined by Rhea a year later. Unfortunately, Sita succumbed to the severe injuries she had sustained during her captivity. As their beloved companion passed on, the bond between Mia and Rhea grew even stronger, and they have become inseparable on the path towards betterment of health.
Mia had endured a lifetime of neglect and abuse, and therefore, took her time to adjust to the compassion and kindness she began to receive at ECCC. Due to cruel captivity, the elephant had become extremely frightened of human beings.
Therefore, she displayed the trauma she had experienced through her behaviour. This included hostile conduct, a form of stereotypy that is frequently experienced by elephants rescued from harsh environments. For Mia, this involved pacing across her enclosure in agony for hours at a stretch, giving no time to rest.
Our elephant care personnel were committed to make Mia feel at ease, and made each and every effort to make this possible. One of the ways to keep her emotionally and physically occupied was to design and create numerous structural enrichments throughout her field.
Enrichments encourage and motivate rescued animals to indulge in their natural behaviour, assist them to find comfort in their new habitat and improve their overall well-being. Mia began to respond to the installed enrichments in a positive manner, and gradually, her demeanour began to transform.
Not only was her psychological health improving, Mia’s impacted forelimbs were getting better too! However, Mia faces difficulty in walking due to her damaged foot pads and brittle toenails. Years of neglect in captivity caused enormous degradation of her feet, as well as stiffness in their joints.
Mia is currently receiving medicated foot baths on a regular basis for a foot pad as well as a toenail abscess. In addition to this, her foot pads are treated with a combination of magnesium sulphate plus turmeric to soothe problematic areas.
Mia and Rhea can be observed taking slow walks together, each taking their steps at their own pace due to their advanced age. We often spot Rhea playing the role of a protective guardian, always standing by Mia. Rhea leads the way during their daily walks and maintains a comfortable speed so that Mia doesn’t get left behind. She always keeps an eye on Mia whenever she slows down or takes a little nap. Mia and Rhea love to play together right after it rains, displaying their inherent affinity to water!
Engaging with diverse enrichments is essential in every elephant’s routine and their enclosures. Mia is fascinated by the hanging enrichments and is frequently seen tugging at them. Her pasture also contains wooden logs and rolling drums, as well as a rope and pulley device that contains green fodder. Mia is quick to pull out and consume the dates and peanuts from the rolling drums!
Mia’s life at our centre is a far cry from what she once had as a malnourished and mistreated elephant, with no hope in sight. With unwavering will and immense strength, Mia has been able to experience humane care by accepting the affection of her caregiver and the dedication of our team, and has formed a strong and special friendship with Rhea.
As we witness her amidst the lush green lands of ECCC, where she enjoys the soothing earth under her feet and takes occasional mud baths with Rhea, our hearts fill with delight. Please help us continue to support and care for this grand jumbo by sponsoring her!
