Karma was one of India’s 4,000 elephants kept in captivity. Many of them are harmed by their living conditions, and a small percentage of them succumb to exhaustion and infections.
Elephants in captivity now have a life expectancy of less than 40 years, down from 70-75 years previously. Falls from trucks transporting them from place to place, infections related to their diet, and exposure to heat and sun are all common causes of death.
According to Suparna Ganguly, president of the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, elephant keepers and managers are mostly ignorant, which leads to elephants dying in unnatural circumstances.
“The majority of these deaths are the result of torture, abuse, overwork, or poor management,” she claims.
The fact that these elephants are kept in concrete sheds causes “abscesses and thinning pads on their feet, sometimes leading to severe infection.” There are also issues with their diet. While they eat over 100 different roots in the wild, they are forced to eat glucose-rich dried sugarcane fodder for the rest of their lives in captivity, which causes intestine infections and even death.
Where are these animals used?
They’re used in religious processions and temple rituals, as well as to transport tourists around the streets and even in political campaigning. This exhausts them further and further, until they have a serious accident, usually during their transfer to “rejuvenation camps,” and die in agony.
All of this sounds awful, right? Imagine a blind elephant having to go through all of this while relying on its caretaker for guidance. Can you imagine how difficult it must be for a blind elephant to navigate the busy streets while being ridden by tourists?
Karma had to live in captivity for the first 46 years of her life. She’s deaf, and she’s been used as a prop to beg for money or carry heavy loads through India’s congested streets. All of this happened until she was finally set free in January of this year.
Karma was finally set free by Wildlife SOS, who transported her to the Elephant Care and Conservation Centre in northern India. She will undoubtedly enjoy the rest of her life there, or at the very least, her caregivers will make every effort to ensure that she does.
Karma can be seen stepping off the ambulance that took her to the elephant hospital, where she would be thoroughly examined by veterinarians and cared for by the staff. Her feet began to heal after a few weeks of walking on proper terrain, and the hospital staff helped her feel more relaxed and happy.
The sanctuary also held a fundraiser earlier this year in the hopes of raising enough money for Karma’s needs, and they were successful in raising a few hundred dollars.
Karma is now confidently walking toward physical and psychological healing, and we’re confident that everyone around her is doing everything they can to assist her.