Elephants have been used for carrying the luggage of people, tree trunks and all that man couldn't do. Since the machinery came in place, its tusks, skin, tail hair et al have been used for commercially selling it. Even then in some regions of the world they still are used by mahouts using their devilish bullhooks. Not all the elephants can be saved on the planet but they must be saved from the horrors of the mankind. And, Wildlife SOS-UK did do it when it rescued an elephant from the Northern region of Uttar Pradesh, India and transferred it to the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura. Raju - the elephant was held captive for more 50 years and then the Wildlife SOS-UK people could save it.
The following information was collected from Mirror and Wildlife SOS, which tells you all about the tortures Raju has been through and the courageous attempts made by the UK based organisation to rescue it.
Raju , the elephant
Till date, almost 27 people have owned Raju before Pooja Binepal of Wildlife SOS-UK came to rescue it with a strong team of 10 vets and wildlife experts from the charity, working from Palmers Green, North London. They were also assisted by 20 Forestry Commission officers and two policemen on July 3, 2014.
Midnight rescue
Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan kept an eye out for two days before rescuing so that no sudden movement alerts the current owner of Raju who had it captured in spikes.
A year's request
It was almost a year since Uttar Pradesh Forest Department was contacting the London-based agency to do something about the cruelty been done to the elephant.
Pathetic condition
The elephant was kept in a pathetic state and was treated as a slave to do all the work from dawn until dusk. He wasn't fed properly and out of hunger and exhaustion, he even ate plastic and paper.
Spiked shackles
While the team was rescuing, it was observed that the chains Raju was tied to were cutting into its flesh. Every time it moved a leg, pus would secrete and was suffering from abscesses and wounds excessively.
Ride to Mathura
He finally was set on an open truck for transfer to Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura.
The people who made it possible
Dedicated Forest officers who accompanied Wildlife SOS team to save Raju.
Unshackling was tough
Charity's head wildlife vet Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar who tried to unshackle the elephant said, "He began to shout commands to terrify Raju and try to provoke him. It created an incredibly dangerous situation because a bull elephant can snap a human like a toothpick if he becomes afraid or angry."
5000 Kg elephant
After reaching Mathura, Raju felt like home but when it was still there and people were trying to rescue. It cried after resisting. Elephants are considered highly intelligent but after the torture of so many years, it took some time to understand that a rescue was taking place.
One week isolation
With emergency medical attention, Raju was kept in isolation for a week and then left with two other elephant companions - Rajesh and Bhola.
45 minutes
It took 45 minutes to rescue and the first meal Raju had was of bananas, banana leaves, mangoes, some bread and biscuits, and water.
Feeling elated
Kartick who was involved in the entire elephant's rescue said "We all had tears in our eyes as the rope which held the final spike was cut and Raju took his first steps of freedom. The team was exhausted but elated. Raju suffered unthinkable abuse and trauma for so long. His (Raju's) spirit was broken."
51st Birthday
Raju celebrated its 51st birthday on July 4, 2015, which also was the same date when the rescue took place at midnight.
A year after rescue
"Raju came in with many abscesses and over a hundred injuries and wounds from the years of abuse he endured. He also had one shoulder wound that took nearly a full year to heal. Raju was extremely thin and malnourished at the time of rescue." told Geeta Seshamani, co-founder of Wildlife SOS who made the rescue possible with the help of Forestry Commission.
Tallest in Mathura's facility
Geeta also said, "A healthy weight for an elephant his size is between 11,000 to 12,000lbs. He is one of the lightest elephants although he is the tallest elephant at the facility."
A family of 14
Raju now lives with 14 other rescued elephants at the same place.
