Senior Elephant Sheds Tears in the Heart-Melting Moment of His Rescue After 50 Years of Being in Chains
Elephants have been loved and admired by humans for thousands of years, and it’s not hard to find reasons why.
In the beginning, they were admired and revered for their sheer size and majestic countenance. Nowadays, however, as we learn more about these amazing creatures, we find even more reasons to love them.
Despite their size, elephants are best known as gentle giants. They have also been known to help or save other animals and even humans.
Sadly, their size and gentleness haven’t protected them from the greed and cruelty of humans. While they have real predators in the wild, it’s us humans who have contributed greatly to their suffering.
Due to the ivory trade and habitat loss, they have been placed on the endangered species list. Furthermore, humans exploit them for profit in carnivals, as rides, or as tourist attractions.
These majestic beings are kept in harsh conditions day after day and are made to suffer in order to break their will. Fortunately, there are many organizations and foundations dedicated to helping save these elephants and giving them the lives they deserve.
Raju is one of these elephants who was saved from slavery. His heartbreaking story went viral a couple of years ago, and thankfully, a lot has changed in his life for the better since then.
For five decades of his life, Raju roamed the streets seeking alms for his owner. When he wasn’t roaming the streets, he was kept in rusted chains.
After his rescue, the elephant transitioned from the streets of Allahabad to the Elephant Conservation and Care Center in Mathura, where he began his recovery. There, he rediscovered what it’s like to live life again.
He learned what it’s like to live a peaceful and happy life in freedom. More importantly, he learned how to trust and love humans again.
This transformation is nothing short of amazing. It proves that elephants are some of the strongest and most enduring animals, capable of overcoming circumstances that no one should ever have to endure.
Raju’s rescue, however, is one of the most heart-melting and emotional parts of his journey, both for him and his rescuers. There are simply no words to describe the gratitude, relief, and happiness that were apparent in Raju at that moment.
“It was incredibly emotional,” Pooja Binepal from Wildlife SOS UK said. “The team was astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue. We knew in our hearts that he realized he was being freed. Elephants are not only majestic, but they are also highly intelligent animals, proven to have feelings of grief, so we can only imagine what he endured for half a century.”
Thankfully, Raju is far removed from his old life in chains. He finally has the happy life he deserves and can live out the rest of his days in peace.
Sadly, there are still many elephants like Raju out there who are kept in captivity and continue to be hurt and abused by people who only seek to profit from them. Hopefully, it’s not too late to give them a second chance at life where they can live in peace.
Watch Raju’s incredible journey here:
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