“And the elephant sings deep in the forest-maze
About a star of deathless and painless peace
But no astronomer can find where it is.”
― Crow’s Elephant Totem Song by Ted Hughes
Wisdom. Strength. Empathy. These are a few qualities that spring to mind whenever we think of elephants. Revered throughout the world, an elephant is one such being that, in its majestic presence, we find our humility. The legends about elephants are stories of wisdom and strength as old as time — etched in stone, illustrated in scriptures, carved in walls of holy places, and venerated in books.
However in today’s age, the fall of these humble giants from being the protectors of their herd to becoming desperately in need of protection is as appalling as it is disheartening. Once holding a dignified place in human history and culture, a grim reality now belies their grandeur. These animals are forced to bear the crushing weight of human interference, often at the cost of their own wellbeing.
Loss of an elephant is not just a loss of life, but a devastating blow to ecosystems, cultures, and the collective conscience of humanity. [Photo © Wildlife SOS/ Akash Dolas]
In their suffering, we see a mirror held right back at us. Elephants show us the worst of human impact and need the best of human compassion. In this article, we recount the stories of three elephants — each caught in severe and unfortunate distress. What was observed, however, was their remarkable resilience when they were given the love and care by those who sought to save them.
Ramu: ‘Begging’ Elephant Cherished at Temple
For seventy long years, Ramu, a female elephant in Rajasthan, would switch from being an emblem of reverence at a temple in Udaipur to becoming a ‘begging’ elephant on streets. She was forced to present herself in ceremonies and processions, a life that unnaturally demanded compliance from a wild being. The majestic mammal’s health and needs, however, were grossly neglected.
It was mid April 2025, when the waves of summer had recently landed, that the torturous years of captivity began to weigh down on Ramu’s exhausted body. With barely any movement and the accumulated fatigue of a lifetime, the elephant collapsed, her legs giving up the support needed to bear her body.
By the time Wildlife SOS arrived, Ramu’s condition had narrowed down to pain and immobility. Her foot pads, critical for movement, had disintegrated — more than half of each were lost to decay and the rest were riddled with infection. The nails of her feet had slid off, and oedema had caused swelling on her limbs.
We soon realised that caring for Ramu would be a race against time. Fortunately, the news of her collapse brought together more organisations that share a concerned outlook towards animal welfare. With wildlife conservationists and medical experts together, a treatment plan for Ramu was devised to maximise efficiency. Fluids were administered to battle her severe dehydration, however, each IV insertion was a struggle due to her collapsed veins. Ramu had been lying recumbent for more than 72 hours. A crane was therefore arranged to support and lift her heavy body every six hours, helping her to change sides and prevent further sores.
Fear and pain could be heard in her trumpet when she first saw the crane approach, but after she was lifted, Ramu calmed down, signaling her brief relief. Her wounds, some as deep as 25 centimeters, bled into the sandy ground she lay on, and its abrasiveness became a threat to worsening her infection. While we helped Ramu fight against this, her deterioration was swift and heartbreaking.
A diet enriched with jaggery, fruits, and minerals was provided to Ramu, and while her body accepted the nutrients, her health remained precarious. However that, too, proved short of the miracle we needed to save Ramu.
Despite every effort, Ramu’s tired body could hold on no longer. Surrounded by people who spoke to her softly and treated her with love until her end, she slipped away. After seventy years of being used, displayed, and neglected, she finally knew rest.
There is a kind of heartbreak that comes not from losing someone, but from knowing they were never given a real chance at life. Ramu never got to roam freely, or simply feel the grass under her feet without pain. What was taken from her can never be returned. But what we can do, what we must do, is make sure no other elephant fades away like she did. Ramu mattered. And now, we will speak her name louder than the silence she endured.
A Mother’s Vigil: The Bundu Range Trio
In the viridescent expanse of Jharkhand’s Bundu Range, a mother elephant roams the jungle with her two calves, foraging for food. A call came in on a regular day that the mother elephant was injured and had been spotted limping. Our team rushed to the remote forests of Palamu Tiger Reserve, intent on helping the mother.
Excessive rainfall tampered with our search, but when the three were finally spotted, the sight we met left us astonished — the towering and resolute mother elephant continued to walk despite her limp. Her right forelimb, though swollen and sore, was carrying her weight as part of her duty to protect her young.
The skin on this leg was marred by what seemed like a fresh wound. Beside her were her six-year-old juvenile and a two-year-old suckling calf, their wide eyes following their mother’s lead in full trust. Their small, curious trunks would time and again reach out to touch her for reassurance. The mother’s deep rumbles — a language of love and vigilance — echoed through the forest. Her injury surely would have made movement agonising, but her protective instincts never faltered. She stood between her calves and our team, a cautious barrier against what she perceived as threats.
Upon experiencing the mother’s protectiveness, we understood that approaching her would require a delicate blend of strategy and empathy.
To observe her injury up close and safely, it was planned to dart her with a safe amount of sedatives. While the sedatives calmed her briefly, her maternal instincts did not wane. She remained remarkably alert due to the younger calf’s lively movements within the thick undergrowth. However, we were soon faced with another challenge: we had underestimated the protectiveness of the calves towards their mother, which was just as fierce. Their refusal to move away from her side proved to be the most difficult part, and the mother continued to keep a watchful eye on them. Soon, we realised the presence of tuskers in the region, with one of them as close as 150 metres from the mother elephant and her calves, which made the entire operation riskier.
To enable the treatment and make sure it was done in a smooth and swift manner, the team carried out a well-thought-out plan when the area was safer: we darted and secured the older calf as well.
While the older calf was tranquillised and secure with us, the mother, who was still extremely vigilant, and her younger calf began to distance themselves by walking away. This was when we made a thoughtful and compassionate decision to reverse the sedation of the mother, because we realised that this would risk separating the mother from her older calf. Reuniting the mother with her calf became our top priority. During the reunion process, her tendency to charge whenever we approached her was not just a strong sign of the mother’s protectiveness, it was also a hopeful indication that her wound was not severe and could heal on its own with time.
After the reunion of the mother and younger calf with the older calf, in the days that followed, our team continued to keep a watch on the three from afar to avoid any interruption. We observed that the mother’s wound was dry: a healthy sign of healing with no visible signs of blood, maggots, peeled skin or infection. To aid her, our team decided to provide treatment from a distance by inserting anti-inflammatory and antibiotic supplements within fresh fruits they would consume after coming across them in a natural manner.
The Jharkhand Forest Department had also established a dedicated WhatsApp group from the first day onwards to coordinate real-time updates and field decisions. This group has remained active, with deputed staff monitoring the family daily and continuing to provide medication hidden within fruits. However, one of the trackers, while observing the herd from a distance, was unexpectedly attacked by a tusker that emerged from nearby. He was swiftly taken for medical treatment, and fortunately, he is recovering.
The team, though shaken, has remained committed to their mission, while ensuring the safety of both humans and elephants alike. To this day, the forest department continues to monitor the trio with unwavering dedication.
Simdega District: A Snare Tragedy
In the southern reaches of Jharkhand, Simdega district homes expansive forests with lush herbage, breathtaking hills, and a landscape that provides home to our majestic wildlife. Elephants frequently traverse its terrain in quiet herds, navigating ancient migratory paths shaped by generations before them. But in early March, this serene wilderness bore witness to a scene of suffering. One that would leave a lasting imprint of the consequences of human interference.
The Jharkhand Forest Department were led by locals to a lone bull elephant, approximately 5 to 6 years old, lying collapsed near a drying waterhole. What startled the officials was that his right forelimb was trapped in a snare. Not only this, his skin was stretched tight over jutting bones, and his breathing was noted to come in shallow and uneven bursts that were punctuated by pauses. The occasional flicker of his ears also came in as reassuring signs that the elephant was still alive. His condition was definitely a frightening sign of his prolonged suffering. When the elephant’s condition didn’t improve after initial care provided, the forest officials reached out to Wildlife SOS for help.
As our team arrived in Simdega and witnessed the harrowing sight, the gravity of his condition began to unfold further after the elephant was tranquillised and gently laid on soothing grass. It was revealed that the wounds caused by the snare that was still latched on to his limb were grossly infected. So much so, that it had spread and impacted the elephant from within.
Along with this, he was also a victim of severe dehydration and advanced malnutrition. With his worsening condition, we could not waste even a single moment. Every effort was made to stabilise him. Saline drips were set up to replenish his body, and antibiotics were carefully administered while we focused on cutting down the biting snare. Our team worked through the night with a will for his body to hold on.
Over the next few days, the bull alternated between brief, restless movements and long stretches of eerie stillness. His eyes, sunken yet alert, would scan the surroundings, as though seeking a way to rise and roam around like he did. After a few days of treatment that included IV drips, antiseptic paste over his wounded forelimb, doses of multivitamins and minerals tucked inside fruits, his condition started to improve — or so we thought. As we fed him plenty of fodder and fresh fruits, we saw a gleam in his eyes. He was lifted with the help of a crane and was observed as he moved about.
However, fate has its own twisted plan. Despite our best efforts, his condition suddenly began to deteriorate, leading to the day when he unfortunately passed away. His body had simply shut down — the infection had internally damaged him to a point that marked itself far from healing.
The Simdega bull’s passing was a stark reminder of the urgent need for faster and proactive intervention, rapid medical response, and stronger protection mechanisms in human-elephant conflict zones. His tale must not be remembered for how it ended, but for what it compels us to do next. We are grateful to the Jharkhand Forest Department for their swift response and dedicated support throughout the operation. Their mindful and inspiring efforts reinforce our own commitment towards wildlife conservation.
A Parallel to Remember: Moti’s Story
The story of Moti, fresh in our memory though distant in time, finds echoes in each of these cases. Moti, like Ramu and the Simdega bull, endured unimaginable pain before succumbing to his injuries despite the collective efforts of wildlife organisations, veterinarians, and even the Indian Army. His battle for survival was a beacon of hope for many, yet his passing revealed how life is fragile, and death, always sudden. These elephants, with their towering presence and profound intelligence, deserve more than just our admiration; they deserve our action to preserve them.
To truly honour Ramu, the Simdega bull and the fierce love amongst the mother elephant and her calves, we must commit to creating a kinder, safer world for all elephants. Stricter regulations and reinforcement of wildlife laws, along with government mandated health check-ups of captive elephants, and community awareness programmes are few initiatives that would give to this new dawn for all elephants — wild and otherwise.
With a commitment to offer support to elephants in distress, Wildlife SOS has launched Haathi Sewa: India’s 1st mobile veterinary clinic for elephants to ensure that help reaches the pachyderms before it is too late. The initiative brings essential medical care directly to the elephants’ habitat, where treatment for injured or ageing elephants is needed. Haathi Sewa represents a crucial step forward in preventing the kind of suffering we’ve seen happening too often: it’s a promise that no elephant will be left to endure pain in silence.
Let us not wait for another tragedy to remind us of what we stand to lose. Help us carry forward our elephant conservation initiatives by making a donation towards an elephant in need or signing this petition today!
Feature image: Atharva Pacharne / Wildlife SOS
