Thai elephant flown home after alleged abuse in Sri Lanka

A political dispute over a Thai elephant that was given to Sri Lanka. in 2001 over its alleged abuse led to the elephant’s return to its native country.

The 29-year-old Muthu Raja arrived in Thailand on a commercial reparation flight on Sunday for 19 million baht(£ 425 000,$ 540 000 ).

After hearing that the dog had been tortured while being kept in a Buddhist temple, Bangkok demanded its profit.

The prime minister of Sri Lanka. claimed to have publicly apologized to the Thai king.

The 4, 000 kg( 8,800 lbs ) elephant was airlifted to Chiang Mai in a steel cage that had been specially constructed, and it was accompanied by four Thai operators and an zookeeper from Sri Lanka..

To cure a wound on its front left leg, it will receive therapy.

Animals are revered as sacred animals in Thailand and Sri Lanka..

Three elephants, including Muthu Raja, were given to Sri Lanka.’s authorities in 2001 by the Thai imperial family so they could get trained to transport religious artifacts.

In the north of the nation, a church was entrusted with the care of Muthu Raja.

Animal rights organizations claim that it was forced to work alongside a uploading team in the temple and that an injury that was long-forgotten caused it to become strong.

After months of fruitless attempts to persuade Sri Lanka.’s government to take action, the activist group Rally for Animal Rights and Environment( RARE ), according to its founder Panchali Panapitiya, lobbied for Thai officials to step in last year.

According to Ms. Panapitiya, Sri Lanka. has” disrepute” as a result of the loss of its wildlife officials to take action, The Independent reported. Additionally, RARE has requested that authorities bring charges against those in charge of the animal’s abuse.

The Muthu Raja was found to be in poor health during a visit last year, according to Sri Lanka.’s wildlife minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, who told local media that Thailand had been” adamant” in demanding its return.

When Muthu Raja was taken out of the church past November, AFP reported that he was in pain and had sores all over him. According to activists, its coach is to blame for some of those wounds.

Most of its wounds have recently healed since it was partially relocated to Sri Lanka.’s National Zoological Garden.

In June, Sri Lanka.n Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena informed his parliament that he had apologized to Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn for Muthu Raja’s alleged abuse and had been able to” re-establish trust between the two countries.”

According to Thai culture minister Varawut Silpa-archa, the government stopped exporting elephants around three years ago as a result of activist protests.

The animals division in Bangkok stated that it is keeping an eye on the state of Thai elephant that have already been sent abroad.