For 44 years, Priyanka was forced to spend her days giving people rides through the streets of India.
Priyanka gave rides to adults and children, and she was also rented out to parades where she was forced to walk for hours on end. The poor elephant had spent her whole life in captivity, and she’d never gotten to interact with other elephants or feel grass under her feet.
When animal rescue group Wildlife SOS heard about Priyanka’s story, they knew they wanted to save her. They wanted the elderly elephant to spend her remaining years in a sanctuary where she could relax and follow her natural instincts.
Wildlife SOS followed Priyanka’s movements for a year, looking for the perfect time to rescue her from the owner who was keeping her illegally.
Wildlife SOS and the local police department worked together, waiting for the opportunity to rescue Priyanka. If Priyanka’s owner learned about the rescue operation, Wildlife SOS knew he would take Priyanka and run. They had one chance to get this right.
When the right opportunity to rescue Priyanka came along, Wildlife SOS wasted no time. They wrote:
“We immediately mobilized a rescue team to assist the local Forest Department in the area to conduct a daring seizure operation along with the local police department….Despite the initial success of getting her to the Forest Department, things were still dangerous as her owner showed up and tried to pull every string he could to have the elephant returned to him – despite not even being able to produce any valid ownership documents for her!”
Because Priyanka’s owner fought them, it took a few days for Wildlife SOS to get all the paperwork together. But finally, everything was approved, and Priyanka was officially free!
When Priyanka arrived at Wildlife SOS’s sanctuary, she took her first steps as a free elephant. Wildlife SOS filmed the incredible moment and shared it to their Facebook page.
After she stepped out of the truck, Priyanka ran across the sanctuary’s open field. Then, once she tired herself out, she relaxed and enjoyed a bale of sugar cane.
Priyanka was finally safe, but now, Wildlife SOS needed to address Priyanka’s many health issues. She had fractures in both her feet and fungal infections in her ears and trunk. She was also starting to go blind. Wildlife SOS’s veterinarians are hard at work taking care of Priyanka. They’re making sure she gets all the care she needs.
Once Priyanka was settled into the sanctuary, Wildlife SOS began introducing her to some of the other elephants.
They decided to begin with Laxmi, a sweet, gentle female elephant. Wildlife SOS carefully monitored Laxmi and Priyanka’s interactions, and they were ready to intervene if the elephants didn’t get along. But it turned out, they didn’t have to worry. Priyanka and Laxmi loved each other immediately!
Priyanka has now been at the sanctuary for about eight months, and she’s as happy as can be.
Priyanka loves her freedom, and she loves getting to spend time with her fellow elephants. We’re so happy this gentle elephant has found such a wonderful place to spend her golden years!
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