Elephant Airlift: Thailand got elephant airlifted from Sri Lanka, accused of misbehavior, 'gifted' 20 years ago

Upon his return to Thailand, the elephant will undergo hydrotherapy to treat the remaining injury to his front left leg. In Sri Lanka, elephants are considered sacred and are protected by law.

A Thai elephant gifted to Sri Lanka 20 years ago has been airlifted. Please tell that due to diplomatic dispute over his misbehavior, he was sent back to Thailand on Sunday. Thai authorities handed over the 29-year-old elephant, Muthu Raja, also known as Sak Surin, to Sri Lanka in 2001. However, after he made allegations of torture and neglect with her last year, Thailand demanded her return.

According to Thai officials, the 4,000-kilogram elephant was transported from Colombo airport on a commercial flight, which cost US$700,000. After arriving in Chiang Mai, the elephant will be isolated in a nearby nature reserve.

CCTV cameras monitored his health

Muthu Raja was moved from his temporary home at a zoo in Colombo to a specially designed steel cage before dawn. The elephant was accompanied on the flight by four Thai handlers and a Sri Lankan keeper, while two CCTV cameras monitored its health during transit.

Scars on body

According to Madusha Perera, chief veterinarian of the Dehiwala zoo, Muthu Raja was in pain and covered with boils when he was rescued from his previous habitat last year. Animal welfare groups claim that the elephant was forced to work with logging crews, and that its wounds, some of which were allegedly inflicted by its handler, were ignored.

Demand to prosecute

According to Pereira's statement, upon its return to Thailand, the elephant will undergo hydrotherapy to treat the remaining injury to its front left leg. In Sri Lanka, elephants are considered sacred and are protected by law. Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE), an organization campaigning to save the elephant from the temple, has expressed dissatisfaction with its departure and is demanding prosecution of those responsible for neglecting the animal.

Demonstration outside the Thai Embassy in Colombo

A nationalist group in Sri Lanka demonstrated outside the Thai embassy in Colombo and demanded that the elephant stay in Sri Lanka for the next six months. Wildlife minister, Pavitra Vanniarachchi said Thailand stood firm on its demands for the return of the elephant. Thai Environment Minister Varavut Silpa-archa did not comment on whether Muthu Raja had been mistreated, but said the Thai government had banned elephants from being shipped abroad. The diplomatic mission in Bangkok is now monitoring the condition of the elephants that were earlier sent abroad.