Priyanka
Year of arrival: 2017
Age at the time of arrival: 45 years old
Sex: Female
Recognisable features: Depigmented borders on both perfectly symmetric ears
Health condition when rescued: Foot pad injuries, scars from bullhook jabs; stereotypic behaviour caused by constant abuse and mental trauma
Facility: Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC)
Favourite food: Sugarcane
Favourite activities: Pool baths, playing with her tyre enrichment
Background history: Priyanka was repeatedly struck by a bullhook to walk into the narrow lanes of a city in Uttar Pradesh. She was used as a ‘begging’ elephant during the day, and a processional elephant for ceremonies at night. At Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre, Priyanka’s physical and mental scars were allowed to heal, giving her a new start to her life. | READ MORE ABOUT PRIYANKA
PRIYANKA’S STORY
Priyanka was taken through narrow lanes amidst car honks, where a bullhook would command her to take her next steps. Loud voices on the streets of Uttar Pradesh were supplemented with the tugging of her tail and touching her trunk. All this psychological abuse led to Priyanka losing her trust in people. She would aggressively sway and bob her head, revealing the trauma she had been facing.
Priyanka took her time to gain confidence in the care she began to receive at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre. She has come to trust her caregiver’s reassuring voice when he tends to her daily needs. Priyanka is a rare example of a solitary female who does not like to be in the company of other elephants. She has discovered one place where she can display her relaxed and playful side: the pool! She spends hours in it, splashing around water, and sometimes falling asleep in it too! The buoyancy of the water takes the weight off her limbs, helping her to relax. The soft mud beneath her tormented feet has also played a healing role for her foot pads bruised due to the harsh terrain she had earlier walked on. Priyanka often digs into the mud with her trunk and splashes it on her back to cool her body.