Rajesh was rescued from an oppressive life as a performing elephant in a circus. When not performing, he lived tethered and confined in a concrete room with inadequate food and water, rendering him weak and emaciated. During the period of musth, when male elephants experience high levels of testosterone making them unpredictable, anxious and aggressive, Rajesh would be tightly restrained and would spend days without proper food and water. He developed arthritis at the young age of 30 years. Given his past experience, Rajesh was understandably aggressive around humans and displayed stereotypic behaviour such as head bobbing and pacing. In the past decade, we have seen Rajesh transform into a more trusting and compliant tusker, under the constant care of the veterinary team and elephant care staff. See how Rajesh is doing now!
