Elephant Conservation & Care
Elephant conservation & care is a project of Wildlife SOS created in 2010 in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, to rehabilitate severely abused and exploited captive elephants. The Elephant Conservation & Care Centre (ECCC) in Uttar Pradesh and the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre (ERC) in Haryana are home to over 30 rescued elephants, and are living, breathing conservation education platforms to change public perception to support elephant conservation. All elephants at ECCC and ERC were rescued from extreme distress – while some were privately owned and had the cruel history of being used for begging, others spent a lifetime in captivity and confinement as temple elephants or being forced to perform in circuses.
No longer forced to bear heavy loads, or walk on hot pavement, these majestic creatures are finally able to spend their days happily, with long and relaxing baths, nutritious diet and regular veterinary care. The centres are full of natural vegetation with enough open fields around for their daily walks and several trees available, thus making it closest to the natural habitat of the elephants.
ERC also contains a natural water pond in which the elephants enjoy taking mud baths. Our elephants at the centre enjoy a stroll through the forest throughout the day and are free to do as they please.
In keeping with our objective to protect Asian elephants from abuse, exploitation and provide them with the best medical care available, Wildlife SOS also established India’s first elephant hospital specially designed to treat injured, sick, or geriatric elephants both on site and off site.
Objective: To rehabilitate and provide a high degree of veterinary care, treatment and enrichment to facilitate recovery for elephants that were found injured, abused, exploited, orphaned, or sick, and also those that are held in illegal custody or with improper ownership papers in violation of laws.
Location/Region: Mathura, Uttar Pradesh and Ban Santour, Yamunanagar, Haryana
Milestones:
- Established the Elephant Conservation & Care Centre in Mathura, in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, and rescued first elephant in 2010.
- Established Elephant Rehabilitation Centre, in collaboration with Haryana Forest Department in 2011.
- Established India’s first elephant hospital in 2018.
- Rescued Delhi’s last captive elephant who presently resides at the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre, Haryana, in 2019.
Timeline:
2010 – Establishment of the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation & Care Centre (ECCC) at Mathura in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department.
2011 – Establishment of Elephant Rescue & Care Centre in Ban Santour, Yamunanagar, Haryana.
2015 – Launch of the Circus Elephant Campaign to rescue all of India’s 67 circus elephants.
2018 – Established India’s first and only elephant hospital at Mathura in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department.
2019 – The Elephant Rehabilitation Centre (ERC) presently houses Delhi’s last elephant rescued by Wildlife SOS.
2019 – Established India’s first hydrotherapy pool for elephants.
2020 – Rubber flooring installed for the treatment area of the elephant hospital.
Project needs:
- Expansion of land for new enclosure for the elephants at ECCC and ERC.
- Sponsor an elephant from ECCC and ERC.
- Laser machine equipment for treatment of arthritic limbs.
- Rubber flooring for enclosures.
- Portable X-Ray machine.
- Power generator for elephant hospital.
Other Collaborating Groups: TreadRight Foundation and Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary.
Other Projects
Restoring Habitats for an Equitable Future
Wildlife SOS has initiated the 'Rewild for Wildlife' project to plant native trees.
Open Wells Conservation Project
Covering up open wells of Maharashtra to prevent animals (especially leopards) from falling in.
'Dancing' Bear Project
Eradication of the barbaric 400-year-old 'dancing' bear practice in India and provide lifelong care to the bears we rescue.
Elephant Conservation & Care
Rescuing and rehabilitating captive elephants from abusive conditions and providing lifelong care in their healing journey.
Leopard Conservation
Working towards mitigation of human-leopard conflict, and rescuing orphaned and injured leopards for lifetime care.
Tribal Rehabilitation Programme
Enable the indigenous communities to have alternative sustainable livelihoods after giving up their bears.
Human-Bear Conflict Mitigation
Protect and provide medical aid to bears in India vulnerable to conflict, poaching and other threats.
Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
Provide hotlines for the rescue, assistance and dedicated medical care to injured or displaced wildlife.
Anti-Poaching
The 'Forest Watch' programme assists the forest department and law enforcement to crack down on wildlife traffickers, poachers and smugglers.
Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation
Mitigate conflict with wild elephant herds and provide education in the Chhattisgarh region of India.
Habitat Conservation
This conservation project aims to protect precious sloth bear habitat near the Ramdurga Valley in Koppal, Karnataka, India.
Research & Conservation
Wildlife SOS recognises that human caring and understanding is crucial to saving wild animals and protecting the habitats.
