Laxmi

LAXMI'S RESCUE STORY

At the young, jovile age of 18 years, Laxmi had already developed a serious case of severe osteoarthritis due to her weight. Having consumed a steady diet of sweets and fried food, that is not healthy for an elephant, she gained weight unnaturally and rapidly. When brought to the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre, in Mathura, the only priority that the veterinarians had was to reduce her weight in order to avert any heart diseases and further stress her arthritic limbs. Laxmi has an extremely happy-go-lucky personality, with food as the only inspiration and motivation. Having lived a life confined to chains and in solitude, Laxmi is surrounded with her companions, Bijli and Chanchal and the trio enjoy their long walks, twice a day, with an occasional dip in the river Yamuna. Bijli and Chanchal’s company has hugely helped in Laxmi’s psychological healing and acquainted us with a fun-loving and playful elephant who is always up to some or the other tactic to earn a few extra treats from her keeper! When the trio is out on walks, Laxmi is quick to run astray from her path to get distracted by a distinct-looking plant that may end up being a delicious treat – once away, no matter how many times Chanchal and Bijli rumble out to her, she refuses to come back unless her keeper motivates her with some dates or green cherries! Laxmi has learnt that if she opens the knots that keep her food suspended, everything will fall down at once and will be much easier to eat! In the time that she has spent with us, she has won our hearts with her strong will and her intelligence when it comes to finding the easy way out.