Phoolkali, a 67-year-old elephant, finally finds comfort after enduring years of mistreatment. Thanks to a specially designed jet pool, she now enjoys tranquility as cooling water soothes her tired body.
Blind in one eye and weakened by decades of being forced to beg on the streets for her previous owners, Phoolkali is one of the many animals receiving care at India’s first dedicated elephant hospital.
The facility, located near the Taj Mahal in Agra, is equipped with a hydrotherapy pool to relieve the elephants’ aches and pains, alongside modern medical equipment like mobile X-rays, ultrasounds, and laser therapy. Expert veterinarians use these tools to treat various injuries and ailments.
“The elephants adore the pool. You can even see tears of joy in their eyes after suffering for so long,” says Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO of Wildlife SOS, the organization behind the hospital. Wildlife SOS operates primarily through donations, including support from the UK.
Founded in 1995, Wildlife SOS began with a small group of conservationists who set up a rescue center in a garage in New Delhi.
Their mission was to help animals in need and extend the principles of freedom and dignity to wildlife.
Over time, the organization has grown significantly, working to protect India’s wildlife, conserve natural habitats, study biodiversity, and support communities once reliant on poaching by providing sustainable alternatives.
Today, Wildlife SOS is India’s largest wildlife rescue organization, running 12 rescue centers across the country.
