Elephant Muthu Raja Returns to Thailand from Sri Lanka After Torture Allegations

In a highly anticipated move, the 29-year-old Asian elephant named Muthu Raja, also known as Sak Surin, has been returned to Thailand from Sri Lanka. Thai authorities had initially gifted the elephant to Sri Lanka in 2001 but decided to reclaim him last year following allegations of torture and neglect. The 4,000-kilogram (8,800-pound) mammal arrived in Thailand safely after a five-hour journey inside a specially constructed giant steel crate onboard an Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane.

Source: Newsfirst Sri Lanka/YouTube

Thai environment minister Varawut Silpa-archa expressed his satisfaction with Muthu Raja’s arrival, stating, “He arrived in Chiang Mai perfectly. He traveled five hours, and nothing is wrong; his condition is normal.” Plans are now underway to quarantine the elephant at a nearby nature reserve.

Upon the elephant’s arrival, Varawut personally offered Muthu Raja a drink, as the animal eagerly extended his trunk through a hole in the crate to accept the water. The crate was briefly opened for officials to spray the elephant before his final transfer.

Muthu Raja had previously resided at a zoo in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, where he was discovered in distress and covered in abscesses. The zoo’s chief veterinarian, Madusha Perera, revealed that the elephant had suffered from neglect and alleged abuse while being forced to work with a logging crew. Animal welfare groups voiced concerns about the elephant’s treatment and the wounds he sustained, some of which were purportedly inflicted by his handler.

The Thai government’s decision to bring Muthu Raja back to Thailand faced opposition from Animal rights activists in Sri Lanka. Rally for Animal rights and Environment (RARE), an organization that spearheaded the campaign to rescue the elephant from the temple, expressed its disappointment over the animal’s departure. RARE arranged a Buddhist blessing for Muthu Raja prior to its journey and has called for authorities to hold those responsible for neglecting the elephant accountable.

While elephants hold sacred status in Sri Lanka and are legally protected, Thailand insisted on the return of Muthu Raja. Sri Lanka’s wildlife minister, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, acknowledged that Thailand was unwavering in its demand for the elephant’s repatriation. In June, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena personally conveyed his country’s regrets over the elephant’s mistreatment to the Thai king.

Thai environment minister Varawut announced that Thailand would no longer send elephants abroad and that diplomatic missions were assessing the conditions of elephants already sent overseas. Muthu Raja, upon his return, will undergo hydrotherapy to treat a lingering injury on his front left leg, as confirmed by veterinarian Madusha Perera.

The reunion with his home country marks a turning point for Muthu Raja, who will now receive the care and attention he deserves, leaving behind a controversial chapter in his life.

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