Indian elephant Raju cries after 50 years in captivity during rescue by Wildlife SOS

PICTURES of an Indian elephant named Raju shedding tears have broken hearts around the world. But there’s a happy ending to the story.

PICTURES of an Indian elephant named Raju crying tears have broken hearts around the world. But there’s a happy ending to the story.

Raju was rescued by the animal rights group Wildlife SOS India after an estimated 50 years in captivity.

The rescue happened on July 4 in Allahabad, in the province of Uttar Pradesh.

Rescuers reported that Raju was restrained with spiked chains that made walking and movement painful and left him with chronic wounds around his legs.

Life in chains ... this image shows the spikes which dug into Raju’s legs. Picture: Wildlife SOS India

“We don’t have a lot of information about Raju’s earlier life. We believe he was probably born in the wild almost 50 years ago and when he was just a baby, caught and sent to live his life as a working elephant. He has spent almost 50 years in chains and most likely would have died (having) never known freedom,” the rescuers said in a press statement.

Previous life ... people would offer the mahout money for blessings from the captive elephant. Picture: Wildlife SOS India

The animal had been put to work by a mahout (rider) giving “blessings” in soaring temperatures with very little to eat, forcing him to consume all manner of innappropraite items: whatever he could get his trunk around.

It took Wildlife SOS India several days to free Raju from captivity, partly due to his distressed condition.

Rescuers said he had been traumatised by his owners and was thus untrusting of people.

Tears of joy ... ‘We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed’, rescuers said. Picture: Wildlife SOS India

“His mahout and previous owner were noncooperative and made things very difficult to rescue Raju,” the rescuers said in their press statement.

“They put more chains on him and pulled the spikes tighter and then had people blocking the roads leading to the rescue truck.”

Rescuers described the emotion they felt when they saw tears streaming from the elephant’s eyes.

“The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue,” Pooja Binepal, of Wildlife SOS-UK, told the Daily Mirror.

“It was incredibly emotional. We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed.”

On his way ... rescuers eventually enticed Raju onto a rescue truck. Picture: Wildlife SOS India

Photos of Raju since his release show him adapting to his new-found life, taking a shower, gobbling fruit and being treated for the abscesses on his body caused by the chains and beatings given by his former owners.

Unshackled at last ... Raju enjoys a walk as he recovers at the refuge. Picture: Wildlife SOS India

Members of Wildlife SOS India have shared the story of Raju with a request for donations to help them acquire a generator and a tractor for their animal refuge.

Donations can be made at www.wildlifesos.org/donate.

Although zoologists warn against attributing human emotions to animals (a process known as “anthropomorphising”), elephant experts have documented many cases of the animals appearing to grieve.

A nice bath ... Raju enjoys a little comfort at last. Picture: Wildlife SOS India