An ailing Thai elephant returns residence for medical care after years of neglect in Sri Lanka

BANGKOK — An ailing elephant that Thailand had offered to Sri Lanka greater than twenty years in the past returned to his homeland for medical remedy Sunday following allegations that the animal was badly abused whereas residing at a Buddhist temple.

The male elephant, recognized in Sri Lanka as Muthu Raja, or Pearly King, and as Sak Surin, or Mighty Surin, in Thailand, was flown straight from the South Asian island nation’s capital to Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand on a Russian Ilyushin IL-76 cargo airplane.

A six-person workforce, together with two veterinarians and 4 mahouts, or skilled elephant trainers, accompanied the elephant on the flight, which took about six hours.

A particular container was constructed to carry the 275-centimeter- (9-foot-) tall, 4-ton pachyderm. Several mahouts went to Sri Lanka prematurely to accustom the animal to being caged so he wouldn’t panic through the journey to Thailand.

Video footage of his arrival in Chiang Mai confirmed the elephant acutely aware and showing calm.

Thai Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa was on the airport and mentioned the elephant landed in good situation. He mentioned earlier that Thailand spent not less than 19 million baht ($540,000) for the animal’s repatriation.

PHOTOS: An ailing Thai elephant returns residence for medical care after years of neglect in Sri Lanka

The pachyderm might be heard trumpeting from contained in the container that was loaded onto a truck’s flatbed trailer to move him to the federal government’s Thai Elephant Conservation Center in close by Lampang province, the place he can be quarantined for not less than 30 days and keep for rehabilitation.

The elephant was despatched to Sri Lanka in 2001 when he was round 10 years outdated as a present from the Thai royal household. He was considered one of three elephants that Thailand gave to Sri Lanka’s authorities for coaching as a provider of non secular relics. Mathu Raja was positioned within the care of a Buddhist temple.

A Sri Lanka-based animal rights group, Rally for Animal Rights and Environment group, alleged in 2020 that the animal was in dangerous well being attributable to years of onerous labor and abuse, and wanted pressing medical care. The group began a petition calling for him to be rescued and later referred to as for the elephant’s return to Thailand after the Sri Lankan authorities allegedly ignored the activists’ complaints.

Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry launched an announcement in November 2022 saying a preliminary investigation was performed by the Thai Embassy in Sri Lanka concluded that the elephant “was not in good health and was in poor living conditions.” The assertion mentioned Thailand would search Sri Lanka’s approval to deliver the elephant again for remedy.

The elephant was reported to be underweight, have tough pores and skin and abscesses on each hips, thinning foot pads, and a stiff left foreleg, making it tough for him to stroll and stand.

He was moved from the Buddhist temple to Sri Lanka’s National Zoological Garden for preliminary remedy and appeared more healthy earlier than his flight to Thailand.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena instructed members of Parliament final month that whereas visiting Thailand in May he had expressed his remorse to his Thai counterpart over what had occurred to the elephant.

Thai officers have mentioned the principle goal of bringing the animal again was for medical care and whether or not he returns to Sri Lanka stays a topic to be mentioned with the Colombo authorities.