THE MOMENT RAJU, THE ELEPHANT RESCUED FROM TORTURE AND ENSLAVEMENT, FOUND A GIRLFRIEND

The heart-warming moment Raju the crying elephant found a girlfriend and had his first proper meal in decades after being starved and kept in spiked chains for 50 years

Raju is now safely living in the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura, in northern India

He was held in chains for more than 50 years after being poached in India

The animal bled from spiked shackles and lived on hand-outs from tourists

Team from North London charity Wildlife SOS travelled to India to free animal on July 4

The five-and-a-half-tonne animal cried tears of joy after being freed

He was introduced to female friend Phoolkali this week

Raju's female friend Phoolkali is also a rescued elephant and was saved two years ago after she was found starving in a deserted windowless warehouse.

Now fit and healthy, Phoolkali insisted on sharing her evening snack with Raju upon his arrival. And Raju happily feasted on mangoes, jackfruit, bananas and biscuits.  However, Wildlife SOS vet Dr Yadu, who is caring for Raju in his new home, said the elephant has 'lost his faith in humanity'.

Photo - Raju (left) the elephant meets his new adoptive family member Phoolkali (right) at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura (photo Wildlife SOS)
 

Read more and see additional pictures
 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2686961/Raju-elephant-cried-held-chains-beaten-abused-fifty-years-meets-adoptive-family-eating-like-king-living-hand-outs.html

Previous report about Raju's daring rescue
http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/2014/07/raju-enslaved-elephant-who-was-kept-in.html

More elephant stories on this blog
http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/search/label/Animals%20-%20Elephants
************************************************************************