Elephant Chained for 50 years Cries Tears of Joy After Being Freed

[Monroe]

A followup on Raju and being at his new home ... his first real family ever after 50 years in chains. Several pictures of a happy elephant.

 

Raju the crying elephant meets new family at animal sanctuary

 

After 50 years of captivity, the elephant has been taken to a sanctuary in northern India where he is in the company of five female elephants, collectively dubbed the ‘Herd of Hope’ after all being rescued from abuse.

 

BY Lee Moran

 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

 

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/raju-crying-elephant-new-home-article-1.1893552

 

After 50 brutal years of being used as a "beggar's prop," Raju finally has a family of his own.

 

The tortured elephant who made headlines in July for crying upon his release from captivity has joined five striking female pachyderms at his new home in India.

 

Tear-jerking video shows the gentle giant being welcomed to the Wildlife SOS’s Elephant Conservation and Care Center refuge in Mathura by his new companions.

 

Raju — believed to have been snatched from his mom as a young calf and to have been traded among 27 owners over the course of five grueling decades — joined new pals Laxmi, Chanchal, Sai Geeta, Phoolkali and Maya the sanctuary.

 

The female pachyderms flapped their ears, trumpeted greetings and touched Raju with their trunks — all signs of joy.

 

His new family members, collectively dubbed the "Herd of Hope," were all rescued by the Wildlife SOS charity, which also saved Raju from a life of "hell" during a nighttime raid early July.

 

... more at the link with pictures

 

[larryb123456]

Thanks so much for taking time to post this follow-up, monroe.

 

The pictures are happily magnificent.

 

They made my day.

 

Correction:

They made my week.

[ROTS]

Okay this story keeps getting more and more lamer.

1. What is the laws in India and did they have government permission to cease the elephant?

2. A bunch of pictures of Elephants and an Indian guy. I guess all Indian men should look like this. I guess the man was wrong. Seriously rubbish.

3. What happen to the man? Is it his fault for purchasing an elephant? Maybe that was his only way of getting by? Again the laws people.

4. Did they just magically changed the law?

5. I am happy for the elephant. But lets be realistic. Which is more valuable a man or the elephant??? I guess the elephant since his just and Indian person.

6. Does the man get to take care of the elephant or get an job in the preserve???? How did they trace the owners? Did that mean India had his Elephant on file??

THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS

Screw a man for making a normal living and lets rob his value of him and arrest him.

Again this is India. I guess he should have been an telemarketer or something to get some cash.

I am happy for the elephant but what about the man???? Was it a crime or what??? Sounds like Japan, but Japan defends the dolphin and whale hunting. I mean seriously.............what happen to that???

Which would you save a man or an animal????

Edited August 11, 2014 by ROTS

[NoelC]

An animal - every time.  Man can go, er, save himself.

 

-Noel

[jaclaz]

Okay this story keeps getting more and more lamer.

1. What is the laws in India and did they have government permission to cease the elephant?

 

Often news reports are incorrect, but IF the article is correct, it says:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/raju-crying-elephant-new-home-article-1.1893552

A court order allowed rescuers to seize the giant animal, but Raju's owner refused to give him up.

 

 

Also

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/seize

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cease

 

jaclaz

[larryb123456]

@jaclaz:

 

This very, very OFF TOPIC post is influenced, in part, by my ebullient frame of mind knowing that Raju and his companions are safe and happy now.

 

You commented and  about seize and cease.

 

Being from Italy, I'm sure you're familar with Julius Seizure -- Roman general and dictator (c. 100 BCE–44 BCE) who turned the Roman Republic into the powerful Roman Empire.

 

A coup ended his reign, and his life, on the Ides of March, when his pet elephant, Brutus, stepped on him and crushed him. And Julius' last words were, as everyone knows, "Et tu, Brute?".

 

Here is a black and white photograph of Julius Seizure taken by Ansel Adams:

 

Larry

 

That's my name, not the name of the individual in the above photograph.

His name is Julius Seizure, as I've cogently explained, and as you can clearly see

if you closely examine the tattoo behind his left ear lobe.

 

         

Edited August 11, 2014 by larryb123456

[NoelC]

LOL, thanks for lightening things up, Larry.

 

-Noel

[ROTS]

So what are the ramifications of the reasoning of the courts?

I would rather hear the story through the justice department systems of India.

Not Poor animal; foolish man.

The way I see things the man was limited to his nation and some random people came along and abused his limitation of information.

We have to really think about the region. Is the man going to get something ( work, free education for his children, Barely water, etc??? ) from this? Or they going to try and rob of him of his land next??

I defend my fellow man until I can not defend them anymore. I defend them no matter what gender or sex they are. I will not interfere with the way of things. I will defend all who has done me no harm including the people who want to do me harm. But I will try to make an peaceful resolution for everybody. However I will defend until they are 100% proven wrong beyond all lawful and religious means. That might be foolish but again it is an animal; and while we would love to save every animal on the planet; people ( men ) need to survive, reproduce, and live peaceful lives.

Again this is India folks. We need to know everything from the encounter, what kind of people these are, and everything involved. Not just poor animal. auuuwwhhh poor poor Turkey. I feel pain for animals as well, including the inhuman animals as well. However this seems like somebody got robbed due to lack of communications.

Edited August 14, 2014 by ROTS

[jaclaz]

 Is the man going to get something ( work, free education for his children, Barely water, etc??? ) from this? Or they going to try and rob of him of his land next??

 

It is more likely that he risks a rather steep fine, or several years in jail or both.

Some (now a bit dated) references to Indian Law regarding elephants (JFYI)

http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/ad031e/ad031e0g.htm

 

The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (No. 53 of 1972) [WPA-1972] is at present the principal legal instrument for the protection of wild animals in India.

 

The Act recognizes a domesticated elephant both as a ‘captive animal' [section 2(5)] and a ‘wild animal' [section 2(36)]. The term ‘vehicle' as defined in the Act also includes the elephant [section 2(33)].

 

 

 

...

4. Sections 38I and 38J: No zoo can acquire or transfer an elephant except with the previous permission of the CZA. Teasing and molesting captive elephants in a zoo is an offence. Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992 framed by the Government of India under Section 63 prescribes standards and norms for keeping captive elephants and other animals subject to which the CZA may recognize or refuse to recognize a zoo.

5. Sections 40 (2) and 42: No person, without written permission of the CWLW or the AO, can keep an elephant in his control, custody or possession. The CWLW may issue an ownership certificate for this purpose.

...

13. Section 51: For any offence relating to elephants, the offender can be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than one year but extending up to six years and also with a minimum fine of five thousand rupees. The term of imprisonment can be extended up to seven years in case of offences committed by professional dealers, manufacturers and taxidermists dealing in elephants or articles made of ivory (including imported ivory) or any other product derived from elephants.

 

 

Domesticated elephants in India are also subject to the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960) [PCA-1960]. This Act does not define ‘cruelty'. However, Section 11(1) enumerates various acts of omission and commission, which constitute cruelty to animals. Barua and Bist (1996) have listed various possible forms of cruelty to elephants that include: (a) Beating, over-riding, over-loading, torturing or otherwise subjecting any elephant to unnecessary pain or suffering; (b ) wilfully and unreasonably administering any injurious substance to an elephant; © confining an elephant in a cage that does not permit the animal a reasonable opportunity for movement; (d) conveying or carrying an elephant in such a manner as to subject it to unnecessary suffering; (e) mutilating or killing any elephant by injecting strychnine into the heart or using any other unnecessarily cruel method; (f) not providing any elephant with sufficient food, water or shelter; and (g) inciting any elephant to fight any other animal for the purpose of entertainment. Some of the rules framed under the PCA-1960 seek to regulate such activities as may constitute cruelty to all animals including elephants. The Prevention of Cruelty to Draught and Pack Animals Rules, 1965 prohibits the use of elephants for drawing any vehicle or carrying any load for more than nine hours a day. It also prohibits the use of any spiked stick or sharp equipment for driving or riding an elephant. The Performing Animals Rules, 1973 lays down necessary procedures for registration of trainers and exhibitors of performing elephants. The Prevention of Cruelty (Capture of Animals) Rules, 1972 prohibits the capture of animals except by the ‘sack and loop' method, tranquilliser guns or any other method that renders the animal insensible to pain before capture.

 

BUT:

The Indian elephant now enjoys much more legal protection than ever before. But the enforcement of the laws leaves much to be desired. Even after 22 years of inclusion of the Indian elephant in Schedule-I of the WPA-1972, a large number of captive elephants is still not covered by ownership certificates. The sale and purchase of elephants at the Sonepur fair (Bihar) takes place every year without much regard to the provisions of the Act.

 

 

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dura_lex,_sed_lex

 

jaclaz

[ROTS]

Okay that seems reasonable in terms of protection of elephants. Really nicely written out. Of course we are talking about India ( not the rest of the world ).

So what is the dude story and how this went down??

Edited August 14, 2014 by ROTS

[jaclaz]

Of course we are talking about India ( not the rest of the world ).

Sure, a lot of countries lack specific Laws about elephant possession and care.

I checked and - as an example - I could not find any specific Law about elephants in Sweden (which is otherwise often regarded as a country with a rather advanced Law system) the djurskyddsförordningen has generic provisions for "animals"" but does not define them strictly:

http://www.government.se/sb/d/574/a/90310

In Switzerland (which also lacks specific Laws about elephant possession and care AFAIK ) the definition is rather vast:

http://www.admin.ch/opc/it/classified-compilation/20022103/index.html

 

La legge si applica ai vertebrati. Il Consiglio federale determina a quali invertebrati essa è pure applicabile e in quale misura. A tal fine si orienta ai ritrovati scientifici inerenti alla sensorialità degli invertebrati.

Which more or less amounts to:

The present Law applies to vertebrates. The Federal Counsel determines to which invertebrates it is also applicable and to which extents. To this aim it is oriented according to scientific studies and discoveries about sensorial experience of invertebrates.

So what is the dude story and how this went down??

There is no story about the dude.

The guy violated a Law and a Court ordered the animal to be taken out of his custody.

What is the issue?

And no, it cannot be a conspiracy as "they" are all busy snooping in our communications to have time or bother about framing an Indian guy for animal cruelty .

 

jaclaz

[Monroe]

Thanks jaclaz for all the elephant research ... interesting reading.

 

I just came across this article about another Indian elephant from last month (July) ... don't know the outcome and if people were able to find and help the elephant.

 

Treatment Eludes Injured Tusker in Odisha Forest (India)

 

http://savetheelephants.org/elephant-news-service/treatment-eludes-injured-tusker-in-odisha-forest-india/

 

July 10th 2014

 

Odisha Channel Bureau

 

Angul, July 10: An injured tusker in a bad condition is wandering in Bolanga forest areas on the boarders of Angul and Satkosia forest divison for the last one month.

 

If not treated properly it will succumb to the injury like one in Rodanga jungle under Kamakhyanagar range areas under Dhenkanal forest Division two months ago. The female elephant there who got multiple injuries finally died without peoper medicare and sheer negligence by forest officials amid tug of war between keonjhar and Dhenkanal forest disvisons on their jurisdiction.

 

According to forest department sources, the injured tusker, aged about 30 years, is having deep wound on the front left leg for over a month. But it still is moving in that area for which no proper treatment can be given to it.

 

Animal lovers suspect it as an act of poachers who fired shots at the tusker. The bullets instead of hitting head missed the target and injured the elephant on its leg, they feel.

 

Ruling out any gun shot wound official sources, however, said that the tusker may have sustained injuries due to fight with another tusker who also got injured in his back leg but was cured by now.

 

So far, there has been no proper treatment of the badly inured trusker that is becoming weak day by day and it is feared that in the rainy days the wound be compounded beyond cure.

 

On Tuesday, according forest department information, a team of veterinary doctors from Angul and Nandankanan reached the spot and traced the inured animal. They also administered some sort of treatments to it but refrained from tranquilising. It kept on running when doctors attempted to give injections from a distance.

 

“We are keeping a watch on the movement of the injured animal and treatment is being given to it. Proper treatment can not be given to it as its is moving away when there is an attmept to inject medicine to it. Still some antibiotics and other medicines have been given to it,” said Pandab Behera, Regional Chief Conservator of Forest (RCCF) of Angul circle.

 

“Now we fear that rainy days have come and unless it is properly treated then he may succumb. The animal has a wound on his front leg presumably by fight with another tusker. We are ruling out any poaching attempt by gunshot as the poachers might have fired to his head instead of leg,” he added.

...