An elephant gifted to Sri Lanka by Thailand over two decades ago has returned to Thailand for medical care after reports of mistreatment surfaced.
The elephant, Muthu Raja in Sri Lanka and Sak Surin in Thailand arrived in Chiang Mai province on Sunday after a six-hour flight from Sri Lanka’s capital.
The elephant had been living in a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, where activists alleged it endured years of abuse.
The 9-foot-tall, 4-ton elephant was transported on a Russian Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane, accompanied by a team of two veterinarians and four mahouts (professional elephant handlers).
A special container was designed to keep the animal secure and calm during the journey. Upon arrival, the elephant appeared calm and in stable condition.
Thailand’s Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa, who was at the airport, confirmed that the elephant had arrived safely. Thailand invested approximately 19 million baht ($540,000) for the repatriation effort.
The elephant was transported from the airport to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang province, where it will undergo a 30-day quarantine followed by rehabilitation.
At around ten years old, Muthu Raja was sent to Sri Lanka in 2001 as a gift from the Thai royal family.
The elephant was one of three that Thailand had given to Sri Lanka to participate in religious ceremonies.
However, in 2020, a Sri Lankan animal rights group, Rally for Animal Rights and Environment, raised concerns over the elephant’s deteriorating health, claiming that years of hard labor and neglect had taken a toll on the animal.
The group initiated a petition to bring attention to the elephant’s condition, eventually calling for its return to Thailand after their concerns were reportedly ignored by Sri Lankan authorities.
Following an investigation by the Thai Embassy in Sri Lanka in 2022, it was confirmed that the elephant was in poor health and living under inadequate conditions.
The animal was found to be underweight, with skin problems, abscesses on its hips, and difficulties walking due to a stiff leg.
Although it received some preliminary treatment at Sri Lanka’s National Zoological Garden, Thai officials decided that more intensive care was necessary, leading to the repatriation of the elephant.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena expressed his regret to Thai officials during a visit to Thailand in May.
While the primary goal is to provide medical treatment, whether the elephant will remain in Thailand or eventually return to Sri Lanka is still under discussion.
In response to the incident, Thai authorities plan to assess the health of other Thai elephants residing abroad.
Thailand has already banned the export of elephants for conservation reasons, aiming to ensure better protection for these animals.