The Tears Of Raju, The Elephant Freed By An NGO

Today’s story is sad, but let’s hope it serves as an example and makes other cases of abused animals have the same happy ending. Today we are talking about Raju, an elephant who has had a very difficult life.

The story of Raju, the elephant

Raju was born and raised in India, but soon after birth he was separated from his mother by a group of poachers. Elephants have a high economic value in Asia; are exploited as an attraction, to sell some parts of the body or as working animals.

Thus, after being separated from his mother, the elephant was sold to the highest bidder; in the course of its life it passed from hand to hand, up to having 26 owners. This poor elephant was not born under a lucky star; it seems impossible to believe, but among 26 owners not even one has been able to treat it in a humane way.

Raju’s life

They used the elephant in a thousand ways: as an attraction, as a means of transport, as an amulet, as a model for photographs and various other tasks.

For a very long period, 50 years, none of its owners felt compelled to offer the elephant adequate sanitation, hygiene or appropriate food.

In fact, the last owner considered the elephant only a machine to make money, but did not consider it necessary to spend it to keep it dignified alive. Poor Raju survived on the food the tourists offered him. A story to make your heart tighten!

Not happy, this “person” kept him bound with chains that caused deep injuries to his ankles and never provided him with shelter for the night. The elephant’s tail no longer had hairs because it had been cut to sell as amulets.

Finally, the news reaches the right ears

Raju’s situation reached the ears of the NGO Wildlife SOS who quickly reached the location to understand what was happening.

Fortunately, Raju’s owner was as neglected in bureaucratic matters as he was in caring for the animal. He did not have the slightest document attesting to the right of ownership over the elephant. This, added to the precarious state of health of the animal, made possible the confiscation of the pachyderm, thanks to a court ruling.

And finally, the tears of happiness

It was not an easy task, because the owner of the animal resisted. He even tried to incite the elephant to violence by shouting. Who knows what went through Raju’s head who, instead, was surprisingly calm? Perhaps he sensed that, finally, a better life awaited him.

Despite the boss’s efforts to oppose the confiscation, a team of veterinarians and police officers took Raju away at night to avoid exposing him to the sun for too long.

According to the words of the spokesperson for Wildlife SOS, as they released him, the elephant was crying with joy. Fifty years in chains had made him forget what it feels like to walk free.

The tears did not stop flowing from his eyes, unstoppable. Poor creature, a new life was finally beginning for him.

The scene moved everyone present and a video about his release was shot, which you can see at the end of this article.

He was brought along with other elephants who welcomed him. A Raju have seemed a dream ... Keep dreaming, man, no one will wake you up.

With veterinary care and good food, Raju the elephant is back in great shape, also thanks to the funds that Wildlife SOS was able to raise with the help of generous donors.

But remember:

Probably this story will have made you feel infinite pain for the animal and anger towards the owners. But there is a further message between the lines.

If they used Raju as an attraction, it is because someone paid to see it. 

If they used Raju as a means of transportation, it is because someone paid for the service.

If they sold Raju’s tail hair, it was because someone paid for an amulet.

Few words to the wise. Never pay to see an animal mistreated.