An orphaned baby elephant whose mother died when they were hit by a train has been rescued – thanks to custom made boots from a British and Indian wildlife charity
Proudly trotting around her enclosure in her faux leather footwear, after being saved from the brink of death, three-year-old elephant Bani was left paralysed in an accident which saw her and her mother hit by a train. The orphaned baby elephant’s mother sadly died in the collision. Given just a 2% chance of survival, she was taken from the crash site in India for pioneering treatment at the country’s first elephant hospital in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, funded by the charity Wildlife SOS.
Now showing off her bespoke boots, which each take between three and five days to make, experts are hailing her recovery as nothing short of a miracle. Wildlife SOS UK spokeswoman Linda Whiteley, from Beckenham, Greater London, says: “Bani is a walking miracle. Two years ago, she arrived as a severely injured calf in a critical condition and it was unclear if she’d ever walk again. She was given just a 2% chance of survival by the forest rangers who found her. She had been hit by a train, had terrible injuries and was paralysed.”
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Baby elephants usually stay with their mothers and the herd for 16 to 18 years, with females sometimes staying for life. Linda says: “We think Bani’s mother sacrificed her own life to try to shield her in what was the ultimate act of love. That sacrifice has now paid off as, thanks to the care she’s received, she has a second chance at life.”
Geeta Seshamani, Co-Founder & Secretary, of Wildlife SOS adds: “Alongside her veterinary care, her ability to walk is supported by specially designed protective boots. She still has a limp and we need to protect her feet from being dragged on the ground, so our expert veterinary team designed a special pair of shoes to enable her to walk without further injuring herself.”
Bani’s case, the first of its kind in the world, is now bringing hope not only for other severely injured elephants, but also for other animals that are seemingly hopeless cases. Geeta adds: “To see her today you’d never know it was feared she’d never walk again. She’s a bundle of mischief like most toddlers! When Bani was first found, she had been struck down by trauma-induced spastic paraparesis, leaving her unable to move for months.
“An international team of veterinary experts, along with our in house veterinarians, put their minds together and treated her with intensive physiotherapy, Ayurvedic oil massages, laser therapy, homeopathy, hydrotherapy and electroacupuncture, alongside traditional medical treatment. No stone was left unturned in what is the first case of its kind in the world for a baby elephant.”
Bani was brought to the Elephant Hospital in Mathura at the beginning of February 2024 for intensive medical care and rehabilitation – unable to move or get up. Four days later, she was lifted for the first time, using a custom-made sling support, and she was able to stand for approximately five minutes.
Hope initially came when, after days of intensive therapy, her tail twitched, marking the beginning of her structured rehabilitation programme. Within a few weeks, she could manage to turn herself over while lying down. Bani was then introduced to a hydrotherapy pool, where she began moving with the assistance of sling support, while she was in the water. Within a few days, her strength and balance improved and she started balancing her hips without sling support while in the hydrotherapy pool.
As Bani progressed steadily, she became able to stand for two to three hours per day, with help. But by March, she began attempting to walk, although she continued to drag her hind limbs during movement. Her recovery continued to progress, and by the middle of April 2024, Bani had regained the ability to lie down and get up independently on a regular basis, and finally could move without any support.
Now, two years on, thanks to her boots, she walks and trots around her home at India’s first Elephant Hospital in Agra. Wildlife SOS CEO and co-founder, Kartick Satyanarayan says: “Bani’s recovery is all the more miraculous due to what the veterinary team achieved.
“Following her initial rehabilitation, our challenge was to understand the kind of protective footwear that would suit her. Initially, Bani would try to remove her shoes, so we tried several different designs before arriving at a boot-style solution. We tried various materials, but faux leather turned out to be more durable and breathable than the others. Most importantly, it was most comfortable for Bani. Each pair takes between three and five days to make. The boots include soft gel padding and are secured with Velcro to ensure comfort and stability. Bani also receives daily pedicures to keep her feet healthy.”
The pampered calf is one of 40 elephants under the care of Wildlife SOS, across its centres and she will continue to live under expert care. While Bani has not yet had direct physical contact with adult elephants, looked after by the charity, as she could be accidentally knocked over, hampering her recovery, she is not isolated from them.
She remains constantly exposed to their presence. Elephant communication extends far beyond physical interaction, relying on scent, vocalisations, and ground-borne vibrations. Many of these low-frequency signals are imperceptible to humans, but are easily detected through their highly sensitive footpads. And, in this way, Bani is aware of, and may even be communicating with, multiple elephants around her.
Because of her injuries she will not be able to be released back into the wild. Kartick adds: “It costs £60-a-day just to keep, feed and provide veterinary treatment for an elephant at our sanctuary. Elephants share a similar lifespan to humans, living well into their 70s or 80s. This is why we have launched a major appeal for Bani and the other elephants that we’ve rescued. Many have suffered terrible abuse as tourist elephants, being ridden or beaten in the name of entertainment. Our aim is to eradicate the abuse of working elephants in India for good. Any donation, no matter how big or small, can change these majestic creatures’ lives.”
*You can sign the Wildlife SOS petition to help protect elephants from speeding trains HERE or donate HERE
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