After weeks of battling for her life, 58-year-old elephant Bijlee breathed her last at around 6am on Sunday, veterinarians who were treating her said.
Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar, senior vet from Wildlife SOS (Agra), who was brought to Mumbai 10 days ago to treat Bijlee, said, “She was not showing any signs of recovery since the last few days. This was to be expected.”
Bijlee had collapsed, for the second time in a week, near Fortis hospital in Mulund on June 13. Since then, she has been undergoing treatment for fatigue, a severe maggot-infested injury and bruises in her hind legs. To add to this, she was grossly overweight.
Apart from this, she had been suffering from a degenerative joint disease, which was a culmination of multiple factors. The doctor explained that old age, an unhealthy diet, obesity and walking on tar roads were some of the causes for the pachyderm’s ailments.
Another elephant, 18-year-old Laxmi from Mulund, is suffering from similar health issues as Bijlee. Although doctors are trying to treat her, they say the prospect of her surviving looks grim. “Laxmi is twice the weight she should be.
She is bound to meet Bijlee’s fate,” said Dr Khadpekar.
The secretary of PAWS (Plant & Animals Welfare Society) Mumbai, Sunish Subramanian Kunju, warned that unless the forest department addresses the complaints put forth by NGO, nothing will change. “Circulars issued by the Animal Welfare Board are not implemented, so what’s the point?” he said.
He added, “We have been complaining about Bijlee and Laxmi’s owner Goswami with photographic evidence to the forest department for years, but nothing was ever done. How can they issue transit permits for these elephants knowing fully well they are made to beg and are not pets?
How you can help
PAWS Mumbai has launched a campaign, ‘Save Jumbo’, which citizens can be a part of. If you see an elephant in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai or Thane, please click a photograph of it on your mobile phone or camera and upload it on www.facebook.com/savejumbo along with the time, date and location, or email it to pawsmumbai@gmail.com with the subject line “Save Jumbo”. PAWS Mumbai will take up each complaint with the law enforcement authorities.
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