kalpana
Year of arrival: 2019
Age at the time of arrival: 45 years old
Sex: Female
Recognisable features: Completely blind in the right eye, taller than her companion Holly
Health condition when rescued: An ankylosed forelimb, aggravated due to improper setting of a fracture; overgrown toenails, abscesses and callus formation on feet; blind in right eye
Facility: Elephant Hospital Campus (EHC)
Favourite food: Sweet potatoes and watermelons
Favourite activities: Going on long walks with Holly
Background: Kalpana had slogged as a ‘begging’ elephant in Uttar Pradesh. She was owned illegally by a godman who used her as a money-minting machine. Her owner would paint her trunk and her forehead to hide her scars and wounds that spoke of the abuse inflicted on her. The physical and psychological trauma that she underwent led her to be a timid, scared elephant, until she finally arrived at Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital Campus and experienced humane care. | READ MORE ABOUT KALPANA
kalpana’S STORY
A partially blind, exhausted and timid elephant, Kalpana would be made to walk for hours endlessly amidst traffic so that her owner could earn money. Kalpana suffered in pain for over four decades. She was abused and lived a life of severe neglect. She would be woken up with a whip of a stick, and an iron carrier weighing 400 kg was strapped to her back. This carrier would poke and pierce through her skin as she walked, hurting her further.
When Kalpana was rescued and brought to the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital Campus for long-term care and treatment, our team of veterinarians observed her deplorable condition – her sunken temples indicated dehydration, worms in her gut meant she was eating mud that severely compromised her nutrition, and her severely affected gait was caused by the overbearing weight of the carrier. Kalpana is joined by Holly, a blind elephant, in her healing journey at EHC. The wise pachyderm has showcased her protective nature as she gently guides her companion during their long walks together.