Abused, Starved And Forced To Beg For Years, This Elephant Is Taking Her First Steps To Recovery
Elephants are not meant to live in cities, especially not in the hot north Indian cities. Elephants are also not meat to walk around streets, begging.But Zara, a 21-year-old elephant was doing this for years in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, not because she wanted to but she was made to, by her owner.?
The years of abuse and lack of care took a toll on her health, leaving her in a poor state, forcing the owner to take it to the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department who then took her to the Elephant Hospital in Mathura, run by Wildlife SOS.?
Upon her arrival, she was subjected to a detailed medical examination which revealed her severe medical issues including her debilitated body condition.It revealed that the elephant was suffering from severe osteoarthritis, severe handicap including foot ailments, abnormal forelimb conformation, osteoarthritis, stunted body confirmation, and deteriorating health.?
"The elephant is suffering from severe handicap caused by arthritis and resulting in difficulty in bearing weight on forelimbs. We are monitoring her progress while we conduct some more health examinations," Dr. Pramod Rajput, Veterinarian at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital said.?
The preliminary veterinary assessment carried out by Wildlife SOS veterinarians confirms that Zara elephant who is around 25 years old. When she was brought to the hospital in Mathur, Zara was weighing less than 2000 kilograms, which is very low for her age.?
The elephant is highly underweight and in extremely poor health due to severe neglect, complete lack of medical attention in the past, coupled with years of poor nutrition.?
At the hospital, Zara was welcomed with a feast of fresh fruits, including lots of watermelons, which the staff at Wildlife SOS found that the elephant had a liking for.?
The medical team at Wildlife SOS who is treating Zara says she will require long term care and specialized treatment along with other medical procedures like Laser Therapy, Hydrotherapy treatment. Though she has a long way to go for a full recovery, in the very first few days of her path to rehab, Zara is showing some positive signs and is enjoying her newfound freedom and care.?
"To see Zara suffering from such crippling injuries at such an early age is heartbreaking. One can only imagine the extent of physical and emotional stress she must have endured. Zara requires a stress-free environment and a lot of medical attention with round-the-clock care to help her on her path to recovery," Geeta Seshamani, Co-founder and Secretary of Wildlife SOS said.?
The Elephant Hospital, which is the first of its kind facility in India for jumbos was opened in 2018 in Mathura by Wildlife SOS.?
"The Elephant Hospital in Mathura was established in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department. Over thirty elephants have received medical help at the hospital. Zara elephant's chronic medical condition is a classic case of what kind of elephants are under our medical care. Zara will benefit from the specialized medical equipment and veterinary care provided at the Elephant Hospital," Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder & CEO Wildlife SOS said.? ? ? ??
