A neglected elephant gifted to Sri Lanka two decades ago by the Thai royal family has finally returned home amid allegations of abuse.
Muthu Raja, known in his native country as Sak Surin, was one of three elephants donated to Sri Lanka in 2001.
The 29-year-old mammal had been kept at Kande Viharaya, a Buddhist temple in the South Asian country, and given honored roles in religious processions.
But Thai authorities have demanded Muthu Raja be sent nearly 1,500 miles home after suffering what animal welfare campaigners say years of abuse.
He was flown from the Sri Lankan capital Colombo at 7.30am local time on a Russian Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane which Thai authorities said cost $700,000 (£550,000).
A team of six, including two veterinarians and four mahouts, or professional elephant trainers, accompanied him during the flight.
Muthu Raja was placed in a specially designed container to hold the nine-foot-tall animal, with elephant trainers traveling to Sri Lanka ahead of the flight to help him get used to being confined.
The 4,000kg elephant made landfall in Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, just after 2 p.m.
Thailand’s Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa told reporters that Muthu Raja had arrived “safely”, with video footage showing him appearing calm.
After a quick drink using his trunk, Muthu Raja’s decorated crate was carried out of the plane after landing.
He will soon be transferred to the Thai Elephant Conservation Government Center in Lampang, where he will spend at least 30 days in quarantine.
“He traveled for five hours and everything is fine, his condition is normal,” Silpa-archa said, adding, “If everything goes well, we will move him.”
Muthu Raja had been rescued from the temple following a campaign by Sri Lanka-based animal welfare group Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE).
RARE alleged in 2020 that the animal suffered years of forced labor and abuse.
“The attackers of Muthu Raja must be punished,” RARE said in a petition calling for the animal’s release.
RARE claimed the elephant was forced to work with a crew of loggers and made to wear ‘spiked chains to work in temple processions’ without rest.
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said in November that a preliminary investigation by the Thai Embassy in Sri Lanka in August concluded that the elephant “was not in good health and was in poor living conditions. “.
Muthu Raja was underweight and had rough skin, thinning pads and a stiff left front paw.
Some of those injuries were said to have been inflicted with a bullhook, also called ankus, RARE said.
“Experts have concluded that Sak Surin should immediately stop participating in the parades and that the elephant should be returned to Thailand for proper medical treatment,” the Thai foreign ministry said.
Thai officials added at the time that they would seek Sri Lanka’s approval to bring the animal back for treatment.
He was soon after transferred from the temple to the National Zoological Garden in Dehiwala, a suburb of Colombo, for treatment, the ministry added.
Muthu Raja will now undergo a hydrotherapy treatment in Thailand.
It is unclear whether Muthu Raja will be returned to Sri Lanka after receiving treatment and will need to be discussed with the government in Colombo.
In Sri Lanka, elephants are considered sacred creatures that represent the Buddha and are protected by law.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told parliament last month that during his visit to Thailand in May he expressed regret to his Thai counterpart, Prayut Chan-o-cha, over the treatment of Muthu Raja. .
Seeing Muthu Raja leave, RARE organized a Buddhist blessing yesterday.
In a Facebook post, RARE said that after a three-year campaign, its members have “contributed to savings; The life of Muthu Raja.
“It’s time to send Muthu Raja home,” the band said. “From tomorrow, it will be Sak Surin. He will start his “new life” tomorrow.
“The campaign doesn’t stop there,” RARE added, “we will follow up to make sure he lives a chain-free, hook-free life in Thailand.”
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