Do you remember Raju, the elephant that cried tears of joy during his rescue after he has been in chains for more than five decades? His heartbreaking story went viral a few years ago, and a lot has changed since then. Fortunately for the majestic creature, the change was for the better!
The beautiful video below shows Raju one year after his dramatic rescue back in 2014.During the year spent at Elephant Conservation and Care Center in Mathura from the streets of Allahabad, the elephant learned what it means to lead a happy and peaceful life. But even more important, he learned to love again and trust people. His transformation is downright incredible and one more proof that elephants are strong, enduring animals that have the power to overcome things that no one, regardless of their specie, should ever experience.
When a group of caring people had finally set Raju free, the elephant’s happiness was hard to describe by words. A heart-melting moment for everyone. “It was incredibly emotional,” Pooja Binepal, from Wildlife SOS UK told PressPeople. “The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue. We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed. Elephants are not only majestic, but they are highly intelligent animals, who have been proven to have feelings of grief, so we can only imagine what he had been through for half a century.”
Thankfully, Raju got his happy ending and can live his final years in peace. However, not the same can be said for hundreds of other elephants being kept in captivity and still ignored and hurt by heartless people whose only concern is making a profit.
Watch Raju’s incredible transformation, here: