Sanjay
Year of arrival: 2017
Age at the time of arrival: 50 years old
Sex: Male
Recognisable features: One of the biggest elephants under our care
Health condition when rescued: Extremely weak and exhausted; overgrown and cracked toenails, swollen foot pads, arthritic limbs, hairline fracture in hindlimb, blind in the right eye
Facility: Elephant Hospital Campus (EHC)
Favourite food: Sugarcane
Favourite activities: Taking long walks with his caregiver
Background: Sanjay was a ‘begging’ elephant brutalised by his owner. He was constantly poked by a bullhook (ankush) while navigating narrow streets of Uttar Pradesh. When Sanjay arrived at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital Campus, it was extremely heartbreaking to see this large and majestic elephant in such a deplorable condition. | READ MORE ABOUT SANJAY
SANJAY'S STORY
Sanjay would walk on roads in the middle of traffic and blaring horns, and was constantly poked with a bullhook to comply. A ‘begging’ elephant during the day, Sanjay was decked with costumes and painted all over so he could be used at processions or ceremonies at night. His exhausted and arthritic-ridden limbs were on the verge of giving up. Sanjay’s beautiful ivory tusks had also been cut off and sold illegally. They were later recovered by the Wildlife SOS anti-poaching unit Forest Watch in a covert operation that led to Sanjay’s owner being put behind bars. Timely rescue by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and Wildlife SOS ensured that Sanjay was saved from elephant trafficking in 2017.
When he first arrived at the elephant hospital, our veterinarians found that Sanjay’s feet were in a poor state. He had overgrown and cracked toenails, and painfully swollen foot pads. Adding to his miseries was a hairline fracture in one of his rear limbs that threatened lameness if not treated. Our team mobilised quickly to provide Sanjay with medical attention for his ailments.
Sanjay’s strong will to heal resulted in steady improvement of his health. His enclosure is equipped with hanging enrichments filled with peanuts, jaggery and green fodder, and extracting these delicious treats provide him with great physical exercise.