An Elephant Cried When He Was Rescued After 50 Years Of Suffering

[G_j]

Reading this reminds me of how all of us who believe in kindness and compassion should never back down. See what compassion did for this one suffering soul. Bless the rescuers!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rossalynwarren/an-elephant-cried-when-he-was-rescued-after-50-years-of-suff?bffb

Here is an elephant called Raju. Raju lived in India, where he survived off handouts from passing tourists, and sometimes would eat plastic and paper to fill his empty stomach.



But thankfully after 50 years of being held in chains, beaten, and abused, Raju has been saved by a charity in a daring midnight rescue operation.

On Thursday at midnight in the Uttar Pradesh area of India, North London-based charity Wildlife SOS freed Raju in an operation that moved Raju the elephant to tears.



Elephants have a huge hippocampis, a brain structure in the limbic system that’s important in processing emotions. Elephants are deeply emotional and intelligent and exhibit a wide variety of behaviors, including those associated with grief, self-awareness, memory, and language.

The charity’s U.K. spokeswoman Pooja Binepal said the team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue. She added: “It was so incredibly emotional for all of us. We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed.”

-----

The charity has since launched a campaign to raise £10,000 to begin the start of his new life in a new enclosure that will allow him to roam with his adoptive family.

To donate to Raju and his adoptive family, visit www.wildlifesos.org, or send cheques or postal orders to: Wildlife SOS, 483 Green Lanes, London, N13 4BS.

[Little Star]

1. I read about Raju earlier and wanted to cry myself.

[mucifer]

2. It's sad. There are millions more animals crying in factory farms, too.

[whathehell]

48. Give to Mercy for Animals if you care for farm animals. n/t

[stillwaiting]

53. It sometimes overwhelms me briefly. It's horrible. nt

[SummerSnow]

3. This has brought me to tears. So touching.

[Loudly]

4. Poor big ol' guy.

Glad he has a chance to enjoy some of his final years in pleasant surroundings.

[malaise]

5. So many human beings

are despicable scumbags

[defacto7]

24. And at times

infinitely stupid.

[ismnotwasm]

6. Aw man

Wow.

[Sheldon Cooper]

7. My brain cannot process the level of depravity needed to do something

like this. His former owner has certainly bought himself some seriously bad karma.

[catbyte]

8. I wish they had arrested that bastard abuser.

I hope Raju spends the rest of his days in peace & comfort. Nothing can make up for the tortuous life that monster forced him to live.

[Brigid]

9. July 4 -- Independence Day for Raju!

How on earth did he survive like that for 50 years?

[ReRe]

10. I wonder if elephants feel "hope"

... I think so, as otherwise, how did he hang on for so long? What reason would his owner do that to him? I wonder if he fought them to try and free himself. Poor thing. Thanks, G_J, for this happy news of the freeing of Raju the elephant in India.

[G_j]

11. If elephants could speak, I think we'd be completely blown away

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_cognition

Elephants are amongst the world's most intelligent species. With a mass of just over 5 kg (11 lb), elephant brains are larger than those of any other land animal, and although the largest whales have body masses twenty-fold those of a typical elephant, whale brains are barely twice the mass of an elephant's brain. In addition, elephants have a total of 257 billion neurons. [1] The elephant's brain is similar to that of humans in terms of structure and complexity—such as the elephant's cortex having as many neurons as a human brain,[2] suggesting convergent evolution.[3]

Elephants exhibit a wide variety of behaviors, including those associated with grief, learning, allomothering, mimicry, play, altruism, use of tools, compassion, cooperation,[4][5] self-awareness, memory, and language.[6] Further, evidence suggests elephants may understand pointing: the ability to nonverbally communicate an object by extending a finger, or equivalent.[7] All indicate that elephants are highly intelligent; it is thought they are equal with cetaceans[8][9][10][11] and primates[9][12][13] in this regard. Due to the high intelligence and strong family ties of elephants, some researchers argue it is morally wrong for humans to cull them.[14] The Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, once said that elephants were "the animal which surpasses all others in wit and mind."[15]

Elephant society[edit]
The elephant has one of the most closely knit societies of any living species. Elephant families can only be separated by death or capture. Cynthia Moss, an ethologist specialising in elephants, recalls an event involving a family of African elephants. Two members of the family were shot by poachers, who were subsequently chased off by the remaining elephants. Although one of the elephants died, the other, named Tina, remained standing, but with knees beginning to give way. Two family members, Trista and Teresia (Tina's mother), walked to both sides of Tina and leaned in to hold her up. Eventually, Tina grew so weak, she fell to the ground and died. However, Trista and Teresia did not give up but continually tried to lift her. They managed to get Tina into a sitting position, but her body was lifeless and fell to the ground again. As the other elephant family members became more intensely involved in the aid, they tried to put grass into Tina's mouth. Teresia then put her tusks beneath Tina's head and front quarters and proceeded to lift her. As she did so, her right tusk broke completely off, right up to the lip and nerve cavity. The elephants gave up trying to lift Tina but did not leave her; instead, they began to bury her in a shallow grave and throw leaves over her body. They stood over Tina for the night and then began to leave in the morning. The last to leave was Teresia.[32]

Because elephants are so closely knit and highly matriarchal, a family can be devastated by the death of another (especially a matriarch), and some groups never recover their organization. Cynthia Moss has observed a mother, after the death of her calf, walk sluggishly at the back of a family for many days.[32]

Edward Topsell stated in his publication The History of Four-Footed Beasts in 1658, "There is no creature among all the Beasts of the world which hath so great and ample demonstration of the power and wisdom of almighty God as the elephant.[33] " Elephants are believed to be on par with chimpanzees with regards to their cooperative skills.[4]

Elephant altruism[edit]
Elephants are thought to be highly altruistic animals that even aid other species, including humans, in distress. In India, an elephant was helping locals lift logs by following a truck and placing the logs in pre-dug holes upon instruction from the mahout (elephant trainer). At a certain hole, the elephant refused to lower the log. The mahout came to investigate the hold-up and noticed a dog sleeping in the hole. The elephant only lowered the log when the dog was gone.[34]

Cynthia Moss has often seen elephants going out of their way to avoid hurting or killing a human, even when it was difficult for them (such as having to walk backwards to avoid a person).

Joyce Poole documented an encounter told to her by Colin Francombe on Kuki Gallman's Laikipia Ranch. A ranch herder was out on his own with camels when he came across a family of elephants. The matriarch charged at him and knocked him over with her trunk, breaking one of his legs. In the evening, when he did not return, a search party was sent in a truck to find him. When the party discovered him, he was being guarded by an elephant. The animal charged the truck, so they shot over her and scared her away. The herdsman later told them that when he could not stand up, the elephant used her trunk to lift him under the shade of a tree. She guarded him for the day and would gently touch him with her trunk.[25]

Death ritual[edit]
Elephants are the only species of mammals other than Homo sapiens sapiens and Neanderthals[36] known to have or have had any recognizable ritual around death. They show a keen interest in the bones of their own kind (even unrelated elephants that have died long ago). They are often seen gently investigating the bones with their trunks and feet while remaining very quiet. Sometimes elephants that are completely unrelated to the deceased still visit their graves.[15] When an elephant is hurt, other elephants (even if they are unrelated) aid them.[25]

Elephant researcher Martin Meredith recalls an occurrence in his book about a typical elephant death ritual that was witnessed by Anthony Hall-Martin, a South African biologist who had studied elephants in Addo, South Africa, for over eight years. The entire family of a dead matriarch, including her young calf, were all gently touching her body with their trunks, trying to lift her. The elephant herd were all rumbling loudly. The calf was observed to be weeping and made sounds that sounded like a scream, but then the entire herd fell incredibly silent. They then began to throw leaves and dirt over the body and broke off tree branches to cover her. They spent the next two days quietly standing over her body. They sometimes had to leave to get water or food, but they would always return.[37]

Occurrences of elephants behaving this way around human beings are common throughout Africa. On many occasions, they have buried dead or sleeping humans or aided them when they were hurt.[25] Meredith also recalls an event told to him by George Adamson, a Kenyan Game Warden, regarding an old Turkana woman who fell asleep under a tree after losing her way home. When she woke up, there was an elephant standing over her, gently touching her. She kept very still because she was very frightened. As other elephants arrived, they began to scream loudly and buried her under branches. She was found the next morning by the local herdsmen, unharmed.[37]

George Adamson also recalls when he shot a bull elephant from a herd that kept breaking into the government gardens of Northern Kenya. George gave the elephant's meat to local Turkana tribesmen and then dragged the rest of the carcass half a mile away. That night, the other elephants found the body and took the shoulder blade and leg bone and returned the bones to the exact spot the elephant was killed.[38] Scientists often debate the extent that elephants feel emotion.[38]

[ReRe]

17. You are so sweet to...

... reply with that info. Yes, if elephants could talk. Did you ever see a video of elephants painting with a brush? It was unbelievable. Thanks again...

[G_j]

21. no problem

Last edited Mon Jul 7, 2014, 07:00 PM - Edit history (1)

& thank you..

[catchnrelease]

31. Unfortunately there is a 'bad' side to this too

I thought this was pretty cool when I first saw it. But since then I've seen other videos in which you can see the handler semi hidden beside the elephant, poking it and pulling on a tether around the neck to get the animal to perform. It seems like their exploitation is never ending.

(I couldn't find the exact video I'd seen but here's a link to snopes that talks about this whole elephant painting thing.)

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/elephantpainting.asp

[G_j]

32. thanks

there is an eye opener, but not surprising..

[ReRe]

37. The video I seen...

... there didn't seem to be anyone prodding them. Of course, I could have been fooled. I hope not, but fear you may be right.

[Scruffy Rumbler]

55. The article at the link

mentioned that the captor came out and tried to stop the rescue by giving Raju commands. I imagine that entails him getting close enough to touch. That may be why it looks like he is giving the elephant commands...he is telling Raju to stop it's own rescue.

[catchnrelease]

58. Different video

The video I was referring to was in response to the post/video about captive elephants that perform in front of tourists by painting pictures of flowers, elephants, birds, etc. It appears that they are doing this spontaneously, creating artwork. In reality there is a handler standing next to them, sort of out of sight of the tourists, giving the elephant cues on what to do next. They have learned the cues previously, as explained in the article and shown in video at the link I posted.

(On edit--the video that I first responded to has been deleted, so my comment is kind of confusing.)

[Scruffy Rumbler]

59. Thanks for the reply! nt

[defacto7]

23. Beautiful

Thank you.

[Enthusiast]

43. Thank you, G_j.

I love elephants.

[mtasselin]

45. Thank You

This is a great post, they could be mans best friend.

[Blue Owl]

12. Can we shackle the abuser to his own barbed leg iron?

That fucking POS abusive captor should get what he gives...

[MissDeeds]

15. I could not agree more

I hate to be brought to this level, but sometimes the punishment should fit the crime. Poor, innocent animals who have been made to suffer just sets me off. Glad this poor elephant is finally free. I hope his abuser suffers to the max. No mercy from me.

[JI7]

13. what happened to those who abused him ?

[benld74]

14. Some humans are the lowest, vilest animals on this planet.

[pnwmom]

16. There is much more here, including a video of the elephant as he's being freed:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/elephant-cries-while-being-rescued-after-50-years-of-abuse-in-india-9589665.html

[G_j]

20. much more depth

thanks!

[ReRe]

39. Thank you, pnwmom

Much better video.

[freshwest]

60. Got me crying there, some may not go to the link but I'm sure he's safe forever now:

The chains and spikes wrapped around his legs had left him with chronic wounds and arthritis and he was in almost constant pain.

But now he is walking free for the first time after a daring rescue by conservationists with a court order by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department to take the elephant from his abusive owner.

The charity took Raju in the middle of the night on Thursday, supported by police and state officials.

The elephant’s mahout and previous owner tried to stop him being taken by adding more chains and having people block the roads for the rescue lorry...

So this was a public rescue supported by the authorities. And the owner's pals were all in favor of the torture inflicted on this poor animal continuing to the death, no doubt. I feared they would get him back, but if the authorities stand strong, and enough people contribute to his care, he will be safe. My first thought was he needed to be moved from the country.

Experts worked for hours to gain the elephant’s trust with fruit and encouragement until they could get him into the van that would take him to a sanctuary...

Kartick Satyanarayan, the charity’s co-founder, said the mahout tried to make the elephant charge by shouting commands.

He added: “We stood our ground and refused to back down – and as we did so, tears began to roll down Raju's face.

“Some no doubt were due to the pain being inflicted by the chains, but he also seemed to sense that change was coming...

Of course he would cry, look at the age he was taken from his mother, if this was the way he was taken into captivity:

Ms Binepal said: “The poachers either slaughter the mother, or they drive the herd into traps that are small enough only for the babies to fall into. The mother cries for her baby for days after he's been stolen – it is a sickening trade.

“The calves are then tied and beaten until they submit to their owners – their spirits are effectively broken.”

Thank goodness for humans who saved him from a living death.

[pnwmom]

61. I don't remember where I saw this, but there was an update recently.

They've interested him to a new "girlfriend," another elephant who was taken into captivity at an early age and put out on the street to beg.

[1monster]

18. Kicked, Recommended, Shared, and will be donating ASAP.

The longer I live, the more I know without a doubt that "animals" have souls, can think and solve problems, can feel and give love. And can hurt as much or more than any human. And can forgive beyond humans' ability to even comprehend.

[G_j]

22. In my humble opinion

Elephants are demonstrably superior to us, as we are the ones slaughtering them.

[dougolat]

26. 'Tis a wonder and glory, these lives...well put..nt

[myrna minx]

19. .

[Sugarcoated]

25. No words

[AngryAmish]

27. No tears please, it is a waste of good suffering.

[Omaha Steve]

28. I still have the PETA sign I held in front of the Ringling Bros. Circus 3 years ago!

For those that make fun of PETA, take another look at Raju!!!!

Here is the photo on the PETA sign:

[LynneSin]

29. There was a great documentary on Netflix about a US Elephant owner releasing his own elephant

It was a carnival owner who had owned the elephant since birth and I have to admit that the guy did his best to treat the elelphant kindly and make sure it was well-fed and decent accomadations. But the Elephant was getting into it's teen years and was acting out, probably because that's what teenagers do including teenage Elephants. And the owner felt in the end he had to let the Elephant go. And he did work hard to find decent accomadations although it wasn't easy. I guess it now lives somewhere in Tennessee at an Elephant Sancutuary in Tennessee.

http://www.elephants.com/

http://www.elephants.com/flora/floraBio.php - that is the elephant from the movie

[NealK]

30. I have tears in my eyes after reading this...

[red dog 1]

33. HUGE K&R...Thanks for posting,G_j

Raju isn't the only one who cried...so did I.

I'll be re-posting this story at other websites,

[swilton]

34. The story from the Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/37969465.cms

There's a video about 3/4 down the page.

[lonestarnot]

35. Yeah!

[flvegan]

36. I love a late night rescue.

And with a court order, no less. Well done rescuers. Very well done.

[Uncle Joe]

38. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, G_j.

[Uncle Joe]

40. Elephants grieving.

[glinda]

41. Kick and give if you can.

[Octafish]

42. 50 years of solitary confinement.

I hope Raju finds many understanding friends, including people. Such a long-suffering being should know joy.

[B Calm]

44. K&R

[littlemissmartypants]

46. Thanks for the good news.

This gave me chill bumps.

Love, Peace and Shelter. Lmsp

[toby jo]

47. ...

[whathehell]

49. Beautiful and amazing..I am definitely sending donations to those caring for him. n/t

[2banon]

50. thanks for posting, I just fb'd this one..

[Flaxbee]

51. More elephant help, please: Sign petition against ivory trade here:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/protect_the_elephants/

Please, please.

[G_j]

52. done!

thanks!

[joanbarnes]

54. A Most Amazing Creature. Read "The Elephant Whisperer." So much we don't understand.

[hopemountain]

56. perhaps we do know but have forgotten

and now we are remembering which is why the truth of it resonates so deeply to our own heart and emotions.

the elephants, whales, horses, dolphins, cats, dogs, wolves, bears, deer, and many types living creatures are helping us remember because many more of us are opening up and listening.

wait until you can hear the plants and the waters, the mountains, and the rocks. i hope it is not too late.

thank you for the recommendation, joanbarnes.

mitakuye oyasin!

[hopemountain]

57. elephants also possess some type of

location frequency. when a member of their family gets separated from the herd - they can find their way back to one another.

[maced666]

62. You can't save the world.

And I imagine millions of animals/pets still suffer similar abuse. But doesn't this one story one animal saved make your heart smile.