Gajraj, a 60-year-old Asian elephant, spent half a decade chained in captivity for the entertainment of tourists in India. Her story captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people who came together to fight for her and free her, and in June they finally succeeded.
Source: Daily Mail
Gajraj was torn from her natural habitat when she was only twelve years old. She incurred serious injuries to her legs, which later became infected, along the way and was traumatized by the ordeal. An inquiry conducted out by PETA India showed the elephant was rocking back and forth in her cage and shaking her head, signs of severe stress.The elephant received no medical care for several years and was forced to give tourists rides. She has now been entrusted to the Elephant Conservation and Care Center (ECCC), a project in collaboration with Wildlife SOS and the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department
Source: PETA India
Now, she will finally be able to live in an environment much more similar to her natural habitat and will, for the first time since her capture almost 60 years ago, be able to socialize with other elephants.Isabelle Goetz, spokesperson for PETA France announced:
After having suffered for half a century, Gajraj is on her way to a better life and we couldn't be happier. Gajraj has only known misery and negligeance for tens of years. However, today, thanks to PETA India, and so many well wishers from all over the world, she will be free to explore, bathe herself and be in the company of other elephants.
While this is an amazing victory that should be celebrated, there are nevertheless thousands of elephants torn from their natural habitats at young ages to perform for tourists in captivity.
Source: PETA India
More and more cities and states in the USA are starting to see the cruelty behind these circuses and attractions, and animal lovers can only hope that these trends continue, so that we can leave wild animal circuses in the past.If you would like to contribute to helping circus animals escape this life of misery, you can donate to organizations likePerforming Animal Welfare Society, who work to offer exploited, wild animals better living conditions.
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