We would like you to meet one of the most charismatic bulls at our center. Hari, a 26-year-old pachyderm, who perfectly embodies the definition of “happy in my own world”.
Rescued from a life of begging in Uttar Pradesh by the state’s forest department, Hari was previously held captive illegally and forced to beg on the streets. This cruel past life not only left him with physical injuries but also with psychological scars. His body had severe signs of abuse, such as an inward deviation on his hind legs, one of which had deep puncture wounds from tight restraints, an abnormal outward bending of his left forelimb and bullhook scars on his trunk. Following his rescue, he was transferred to the Elephant Hospital Campus (EHC) so that he could receive dedicated care and medical treatment. It has been one year since Hari arrived at the centre, and today, he is leading a life of comfort, peace and consistent care.
Hari’s days are planned around his healing and happiness. Early in the morning, while he is out for his leisurely walk, our team gives his enclosure a thorough sanitisation to ensure his home remains clean and hygienic. Mini excavators are brought in to tidy up his mud beds and fix the flattened pile back into a shape he can once again lie down on. Once he returns, Hari is given some delicious treats, like peanuts and dates. The rest of his day includes dedicated medical care, nail trimming sessions, target training using positive reinforcement, a relaxing bath, engaging with enrichments, and lots of “me” time!
The Summer Splash
We know summers can be really intense, and for elephants, they feel the heat just as much as we do. So Hari’s caregivers make sure to keep them calm and refreshed through our summer management programme. Under this, we have installed several elements in the enclosures to help our elephants live peacefully through the season without being troubled by the extreme temperatures.
The elephant has sprinklers in his enclosure that run in the morning and evening to cool down his surroundings. He even has access to plenty of mud, which is a pure bliss for Hari since he loves to indulge in rich mud baths! But the most important highlight for Hari is… the pool! Hari loves to go inside or stand at its edge, and spray water all over the pool and himself. Pool also acts as physical therapy, creating a weightless feeling that provides relief to his limbs.
It is Playtime!
To ensure Hari stays mentally stimulated and physically engaged, his enclosure is filled with various enrichments, consisting of fresh green fodder like chari (sorghum). These structures are designed to encourage his natural behaviours, keep him engaged while also fulfilling his diet requirements. Enrichments like cage feeder and a hanging feeder, are available throughout his enclosure so he can explore how fast he can pull out the fodder from each. Hari’s favourite is definitely the hanging feeder which he tackles with joyful energy!
Trumpets of Hunger
One can easily guess when Hari is hungry! Minutes before his meal time, he makes it loud and clear to his caregivers by making a highly distinct trumpet. Once the caregivers bring him a cooked and quite delicious concentrate made of horse gram, brown rice, millets, and rock salt, he savours each and every bite of it. Special care is taken to promote Hari’s health and digestion by giving him vital health and digestive supplements mixed in with this. Fodder is abundantly available for him to keep munching on through the day via his enrichments, along with which, his daily diet contains a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. This is spread across target training sessions, his medical treatments and as treats for him to enjoy at his own pace. To maintain a proper electrolyte balance, and keep him hydrated in summer, he is also periodically given Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS).
Understanding “Musth”
Like other bull elephants, Hari experiences what is known as musth that takes place periodically. It is a healthy, natural phenomenon that is marked by a massive surge in testosterone levels. During this time, the temporal glands on the sides of their heads release a highly hormone rich fluid known as temporin. This secretion leaves visible streaks and carries a strong odour. The hormonal shift in this phase also causes an increase in the body temperature. Hari frequently fills water in his trunk to pour it specifically over his temples to to cool down.
Bulls tend to become moody and unpredictable during this phase. Hari is no exception. During this time, we give him the space that he needs and avoid any activity that might agitate him. His long walks and target training sessions are therefore paused for his own safety. Hari’s routine might undergo a temporary change, but he is still treated with extra patience and love during this time.
As the night descends, Hari finds a good, supportive place to sleep for 4 to 5 hours. Sometimes it’s just the soft ground and sometimes, it’s a cosy mud bed his caregivers had previously made for him.
We hope you have had an amazing time getting to know Hari and his time at Wildlife SOS! If his story has touched your heart, you can help him to continue to enjoy his new life by supporting his care.
Feature image: Vineet Singh/ Wildlife SOS
