LAMPANG, Aug 28 (TNA) – Landmine victim elephant named
Motala receives blessings in a traditional ritual on the 20th anniversary of
her ordeal at an elephant hospital in northern Thailand.
Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital, the world’s first
elephant hospital in Lampang province, held a ritual for the 59 year-old female
elephant that lost her front left leg after stepping on a landmine in Myanmar
20 years ago. Since then, she has been
given treatments at the Hospital where her leg was amputated below the knee.
Veterinarians, guests and Secretary of the Friends of Asian
Elephant Foundation Soraida Salwala attended the ritual on Wednesday.
Since the accident in 1999 while working as logging
elephant, Motala has received several surgeries and artificial legs. She is the second elephant in the world to
have permanent prosthesis.
Mosha, the other female elephant to be fitted with
prosthetic limb, also lives at the Friends of Asian Elephant Foundation
Under intensive care of a dedicated mahout named Somchai,
Motala has recovered from traumatic experience. (TNA)
