Imagine you were b.lindfolded and forced to cross a busy street at g.unpoint! This is what the female elephant Lakhi has had to endure all her life. Be.aten and ch.ained all her life, she was on the verge of col.lapse when the court intervened and set her free.
In one of the most gruesome cases of elephant a.buse, Lakhi was b.linded by c.ruel owners and handlers and then forced to beg at various temples and different small towns to ear.n mo.ney for the masters.
Lakhi has been used as a ‘beggar & performer elephant,’ a condition possibly due to constant a.buse by her handlers. Her b.lindness put her at severe and constant risk of road accidents if not properly instructed.
Tortured, be.aten, and whipped all her life, she had some injuries and wo.unds on her chest, forehead, ears, and back. P.ainful swelling in the left temporal region, clearly visible, spoke of the tor.ture she had undergone.
After decades of a.buse and neg.lect, 60-year-old elephant Lakhi has finally been rescued. On February 26, 2015, she was gently encouraged to step into a particular ten-wheeler truck rented for this purpose and begin the final journey to her new home.
After decades of a.buse and neg.lect, 60-year-old Lakhi has finally been rescued.
Her c.ruel masters b.linded Lakhi.
The Wildlife SOS team will bring ophthalmology experts from the UK to explore the possibility of restoring vision in at least one eye. This will significantly improve her welfare.
Her appearance clearly shows that her diet is not nutritious enough.
It can be doubted that she has even tasted food suitable for an elephant.
Walking on asphalt for many years severely affected her feet and toenails.
Lakhi suf.fered from ch.ronic, p.ainful trau.ma and had never received appropriate me.dical treatment. Adding to her p.ain and discomfort were spiked ch.ains held in place around her legs, resulting in punc.ture wo.unds and ab.rasions.
During the 1400km journey, she was cared for with boxes of fresh fruit and buckets of water to keep her hydrated.
She has reached her new home at the SOS Wildlife Care and Conservation Center in Mathura, where she will live her life with dignity and peace.
Lakhi is stretching like a pro!
During the journey to Lakhi’s new home, the group decided to stop for a break and let her get out of the truck for a walk and relax a bit!
Lakhi was weighed by the time she got home.
To check on Lakhi’s health and plan a suitable diet for her, she was weighed by the Wildlife SOS team at the Elephant Care and Conservation Center.
Lakhi smiling at Elephant Care and Conservation Center, Mathura
Lakhi was smiling in the sun after settling into her new place with Wildlife SOS!
By: dailybbnews.com
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