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Elephants in India can find care and compassion from humans in their very own hospital

“We can offer them a place where we can heal them."

Photo pulled from Youtube video

With numbers dwindling conservationist take amazing action.

India’s first elephant hospital, the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital, opened in the Hindu holy town of Mathura, located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Injured, sick, rescued, and elderly elephants now have a home to receive the care that they need. The facility is run by non-profit Wildlife SOS. Wildlife SOS also runs a conservation and care center near the newly opened hospital, and is currently home to 22 elephants.

The Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital was designed with the needs of our four-legged friends in mind. The 12,000-square ft. facility contains x-ray, thermal imaging, and ultrasound machines, tranquilization devices, a hydrotherapy pool, an in-house pathology lab, and quarantine facilities.

The hospital will even enable remote patients to receive care. “Our hospital has center with very portable kind of machinery,” explains Geeta Seshamani, Wildlife SOS co-founder. “So if an elephant is hit-and-run very far away anywhere in North India, we can go there and we can take care of it on site itself.”

“The hospital is something really special because for centuries India has used its elephants and abused them,” added Seshamani. “Today, for the first time, we can offer them a place where we can heal them and take very good care of them.”

elephants, religious symbols, wildlife, abuse

Over 50 percent of Asia's wild elephants reside in India.

Photo pulled from Youtube video

Among those abused elephants who will find a safe haven at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital will be elephants who were abused in captivity, elephants who were turned into tourist attractions, and elephants who were involved in freeway accidents.

“These elephants go through a lot of abuse, brutality, cruelty in order to be ridden,” Wildlife SOS co-founder Kartick Satyanarayan said in a BCC interview. “And through that process, they develop abscesses, internal problems, back problems, all kinds of health issues that need to be addressed.”

Between 50 and 60 percent of Asia’s wild elephants reside in India. Just 20 percent of domesticated elephants call the country home. With such a large elephant population, conservation should be at the forefront, especially since India’s elephant population is on the decline. In 2012, India’s elephant population was 29,391 – 30,711. By 2017, it had fallen to 27,312. World Wildlife Organization estimates there are as few as 20,000 in 2022.

Elephants are highly revered as both cultural and religious symbols in India, however they have been subjected to brutal mistreatment.

Some fall victim to the wildlife trade, while others are mistreated by mahouts (caretakers). Others are poached, poisoned, or electrocuted.

“I think by building a hospital we are underlining the fact that elephants need welfare measures as much as any other animal,” Seshamani told Reuters TV. “That captive elephants are not meant to be used and abused but instead have to be given the respect which an animal needs if you are going to be using the animal.”

You can watch the BBC News story on YouTube below:

This article originally appeared on 11.27.18

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A dozen former circus elephants finally arrive at comfy new life in Florida sanctuary

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For many people, seeing any animal in captivity is a tragic sight. But when an animal cannot safely be released into the wild, a captive-but-comfortable space is the next best thing.

That's the situation for a dozen female pachyderms who have joined the Yulee refuge at the White Oak Conservation Center north of Jacksonville, Florida. The Asian elephants, who are endangered in the wild, are former circus animals that were retired from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 2016. The group includes two sets of full sisters and several half-sisters. Elephants tend to live together in multi-generational family groups led by a matriarch.

Philanthropists Mark and Kimbra Walter, who fund the refuge for rare species, say they are "thrilled to give these elephants a place to wander and explore."

"We are working to protect wild animals in their native habitats," the Walters said in a statement. "But for these elephants that can't be released, we are pleased to give them a place where they can live comfortably for the rest of their lives."

Up to 20 more elephants are expected to come live at the refuge in the near future.

According to the AP, Nick Newby leads the team that cares for the elephants and has spent the past few years getting to know each elephant and their habits.

"Watching the elephants go out into the habitat was an incredible moment," Newby said in a statement. "I was so happy to see them come out together and reassure and comfort each other, just like wild elephants do, and then head out to explore their new environment. Seeing the elephants swim for the first time was amazing."

The refuge covers about 17,000 acres and will eventually include nine interlinked areas that boast a variety of habitat types, including wetlands, meadows, and woods. the center is also constructing 11 waterholes and three barns that will hold veterinary equipment. As of now, the elephants have plenty of space to roam, whether they want to stay near the barn and their caregivers, wander through the woods, play in the mud, or swim in the pond.

It's already home to several endangered and threatened species, including rhinos, okapi, bongos, zebras, condors, dama gazelles and cheetahs.

"In the last few years, everything has changed for these elephants for the better — from their retirement to the way they interact with humans and the space they have to roam," said Steve Shurter, White Oak's executive director, in a statement. "For the first time in their lives, these elephants can choose where and how they want to spend their days."

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Disabled animals are getting a second chance thanks to an amazing prosthetic expert

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Mosha, a work elephant, was carrying heavy logs on Thailand's border with Myanmar when she stepped on a land mine.

Mosha survived. But she lost a leg.

On the Myanmar side of the border, Motala, another work elephant, stepped on a land mine too, suffering a similar fate.

The injuries could have meant death for them both, especially Mosha whose unbalanced walk threatened her spine. Luckily, the Asian Elephant Foundation knew someone who could help these two wounded animals: Derrick Campana, an animal prosthetic expert.

Campana casts a mold of Mosha's leg before helping to make her prosthesis. Image via Cody Cutter, used with permission.

Mosha was the first elephant to ever receive and successfully use a prosthetic leg, so there wasn't a how-to book for this job. But Campana was able to cast a mold and size Mosha and Motala for prosthetics — just as he has done for thousands of other animals.

Campana and Mosha. Image via Cody Cutter, used with permission.

It has been more than a decade since Motala and Mosha were injured, but thanks to Campana's help, the pair have been able to live happily at the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation, which is the world's first elephant hospital.

As one of the only manufacturers of animal prosthetics in the world, Campana has been able to help tens of thousands of animals — and not just elephants.

In fact, his usual customers are dogs, but he's also fitted a prosthetic on a llama, a ram, a mini horse, an owl, and a crane. All in all, he estimates that he's helped between 15,000 and 20,000 animals.

Campana and one of his patients sporting a new prosthesis. Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

But Campana didn't actually start out as an animal prosthetist — he used to work on humans. That is, until a veterinarian brought Charles, her chocolate lab, into his prosthetics and orthotics practice.

Charles needed a prosthesis.

Campana thought it strange at the time that someone would bring their dog into a practice meant for humans. But he ended up building a successful prosthesis for Charles, and in the process, he realized how few options there were for pets with disabilities.

“It was kind of a lightbulb moment," Campana explains, “where I could apply the skills I learned on the human side of things over to animals."

Soon after, he started Animal OrthoCare, based in Sterling, Virginia, and he's been helping animals with disabilities for the last 13 years.

Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

“We can do this for any type of animal if we think it'll be safe and functional for the animal," Campana says.

Angel Marie, a mini horse, was stepped on by her mother shortly after birth. With Campana's help, she's moving a lot easier these days. Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

Some animals have an easier time adapting to their new limb than others do. Take, for example, Felix, a ram in Spain. He almost died after being attacked by dogs but luckily was rescued by El Hogar, an animal sanctuary. Felix was rehabilitated with surgery, daily massages, aquatic therapy, and acupuncture. However, if he was to ever walk again, he needed prosthetics for his front legs.

So, Campana designed a new pair for him.

Felix was on his feet in no time, but that's not the case for every animal.

Humans can be verbally taught how to use their prostheticsand can communicate pain and discomfort in detail. Animals can't — soit sometimes takes animals a longer time to get used to wearing their new devices.

Another challenge is cost. Insurance can help people in need of prosthetics. Pets? Not so much.

Most pet insurance plans won't cover a prosthetic, which makes it difficult. Luckily, animal prosthetics are actually cheaper to make, and Campana has found a way to cut costs by using high performance plastics that can be altered and modified to the animal.

Rather than expensive carbon fiber used for human prosthetics, Animal OrthoCare uses high performance and alterable plastics. Image via AnimalOrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

In this way, Campana is helping not only animals, but their families as well.

Campana's products help save families thousands of dollars while making pets more comfortable and mobile. Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

To make sure that as many animals as possible get the help they need, Campana has also been working with nonprofit organizations and animal sanctuaries, such as the Humane Society.

Plastics Make It Possible, a partner of Animal OrthoCare and provider of the plastics they use, donated $20,000 to the Humane Society of the United States' Animal Rescue Team to help animals in need of prosthetics and orthotics obtain services like Campana's. They also donated raw materials to Campana's cause.

Those wanting to support Campana and Animal OrthoCare's mission to help animals regain mobility can also donate to Animal OrthoCare's GoFundMe page.

Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

Campana's story shows there are so many ways to give back and help those in need.

When Charles, the chocolate lab, first arrived at Campana's practice, he didn't know what to expect. Little did he know it would foster an inventive and important new direction for his work and his life and would make a real impact for disabled animals (yes — even elephants) around the world.

It just goes to show, with a little creativity, we all can find new ways to make a difference.

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Elephants in sweaters are adorable. Until you realize why they have them.

In North India, winter temperatures are dropping to record lows, causing problems for crops, trains, and an ex-circus performer named Suzy.

Suzy is toothless, blind, and just one of 23 formerly abused elephants living at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center in Mathura, India.

"The rescued elephants under rehabilitation at Wildlife SOS have been rescued from shocking circumstances," said Geeta Seshamani, the center's secretary and co-founder. "We aim to provide them with a safe habitat where they can live like elephants.

Suzy takes a walk with help from her seeing-eye humans. All photos via Wildlife SOS, used with permission.

Wildlife SOS knows how to deal with damage from poaching and captivity. But the threat of below-freezing weather? That's something new.

Despite their thick hides and massive size, elephants are still susceptible to the effects of cold weather. It's not a problem they usually encounter in their natural habitats, but, well, the effects of climate change are altering the places these animals call home.

According to Kartick Satyanarayan, Wildlife SOS's co-founder and CEO, cold weather can aggravate arthritis and other problems in even the most able-bodied elephants. For elephants like Suzy, it can be even worse. "It is important to keep our elephants protected from the bitter cold during this extreme winter, as they are weak and vulnerable having suffered so much abuse making them susceptible to ailments such as pneumonia," Satyanarayan said.

Humans have problems with the cold too. That's why we wear coats. So Satyanarayan and his team figured, why not do the same for elephants?

Thanks to a few women from the nearby village and one dedicated stitcher on staff, Suzy and the other elephants at Wildlife SOS will each have their own tarpaulin cloaks to help keep them warm through the chilly winter, while also protecting them from rain and dew.

Here's Suzy showin' off her stuff:

"They really took to their jumpers!" Satyanarayan told the Daily Mail.

"I know in some countries it is a bit of a joke to wear the most outlandish one you can for Christmas. But the elephants care less about fashion and more about being warm."

Don't believe him? Just ask Lilly:

The elephant jumper project is still a work in progress while they figure out what's best for the animals.

"We want to come up with a solution to keep these animals warm, that’s all," explained Baiju Raj, director of conservation projects, in an interview with Scroll.In magazine.

For example, they tried to do a photoshoot with the elephants wearing the pachyderm equivalent of footie pajamas in hopes of raising money to continue their efforts and find the best approach for elephant outerwear. But according to Raj, "The pajamas made the elephants uncomfortable. They kicked them off after the shoot."

Photo by Roger Allen/Daily Mail, via Wildlife SOS, used with permission.

As delightful and adorable as these winter coats might look, it's important to remember they're just temporary solutions for bigger problems like poaching and climate change.

We can't undo damage done to the planet or the other animals that inhabit it. But it's good to know that we can still find solutions to protect the world and animals we have now. I'm sure that Suzy the elephant appreciates it more than we know

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