The group that came to the rescue of baby elephant Suman have released a video showing the elephant’s captor inflicting relentless violence on elephants. Wildlife SOS launched a campaign to save Suman the baby elephant, but still nothing has been done by the Rajasthan government, despite the fact that elephant trafficking is illegal.
The baby elephant was already in a delicate state when evidence of her captivity drew outrage. She was penned in a small cage, tied by her foot and making repetitive movements that clearly showed distress. Her parents and sister have since been reunited, but this six year old baby elephant is still at the mercy of almost certain violence, abuse and mistreatment. In the video her captor is shown mercilessly beating and tying up and burning the foot-pads of elephants. Humans who protested have also reportedly been fired or attacked.
Animal psychologists are worried about the damage this trauma will do to Suman. Elephants live just as long as humans and so the “memory of an elephant” could be a liability as well as a gift. The sooner the baby elephant can be freed, the more likely she is to heal from the harm and isolation done to her.
One of the saddest images you can find on the internet at the moment is that of a Baby Elephant
named Suman, tied by her feet and making repetitive movements to soothe herself from her distress.
The baby cries for her mother, but no one comes.
According to wildlife groups, the story of this baby elephant is one of trafficking and exploitation.
Before a circus was shut down by authorities and the animals rehomed, the baby was sold for cash to a man known for profiting from trafficked elephants. What is really unbelievable is that we know where Suman’s parents are and what their names are, yet we can’t reunite this young elephant with her parents because all three are “working” animals who make money for humans. Suman’s mother Chanda apparently gives rides to tourists in Jaipur and her father Bilji is rented out for festivals, weddings and processions.
The government are aware of the baby elephant’s illegal captivity, but have done nothing about it. This isn’t a situation that can be left dangling while bureaucrats go back and forth. This baby elephant appears to be going through the kind of emotional torture that would scar a human child for
life. We have a choice to stop this suffering and give baby Suman a better start to her life. Please share this story and sign the petition to get authorities to reunite Suman with her family.
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