JANASENA Posted December 4, 2014 Report Posted December 4, 2014 http://youtu.be/JYqltufsk9Q Raju is an elephant who was captured as a young baby. It’s believed his mother was killed, usually poachers slaughter the mother and then herds are driven into traps that are small enough for the babies to fall into. The mother elephants will cry for their babies for days, even weeks after they are stolen. The calves are then put into small cages, starved, and then beaten with sharp hooks. This goes on for a week or longer until the baby elephant’s will is broken. This domestication process called phajaan or elephant crushing. Throughout his life, Raju was sold over and over again. His rescuers believe he has had up to 27 owners. In July 2013, Raju was found in horrible conditions. He didn’t have shelter at night and was being used to beg for money from tourists. He wasn’t fed properly and began eating plastic and paper. His nails were overgrown and had abscesses and wounds from the shackles around his ankles. Almost a year to the day of them finding out about Raju, a team of 10 vets and wildlife experts from a London based charity Wildlife SOS, 20 forestry department, and 6 policemen came to seize Raju from the Uttar Pradesh area of India. The rescue was an emotional one. His owner did not want to see him freed and began shouting commands to the elephant to frighten him and he put more chains around him to prevent the team from taking him. But the rescuers stood their ground, and as they did, tears began to roll down Raju’s face. Tears of joy! Raju was forced to beg for money from tourists. He never knew freedom and the shackles were causing pain for him to even stand. Pain and brutality was all Raju knew. Wildlife SOS vet Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar removed the shackles from Raju. The rescuers saw tears streaming down his face as he was being released. The elephant was transported 350 miles away to the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura. When the team and Raju pulled into the sanctuary the other elephants woke from their sleep and came to have a look. The team said it was an extraordinary moment. Raju got emergency medical attention, some food, and a bath. When he is ready, Raju will join two companion elephants, Rajesh and Bhola, who also suffered unthinkable cruelty in the past. Once Raju is settled he will learn how to live with the rest of the elephants including five flirtatious females. But for now he is enjoying his newfound freedom. Congratulations to Raju! May you live happy and free the rest of your life! Wildlife SOS has launched a campaign to raise money to help Raju begin the start of his new life in a new enclosure which will allow him to roam with his adoptive family.No animals should ever have to suffer this cruelty.
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