One Year Ago, This Elephant Was Weeping In Chains

3 July 2015

 - Raju was born more than 50 years ago, but this week he’s celebrating a first birthday of sorts — marking the one-year anniversary of when he was freed from a lifetime of unimaginable suffering.

The sweet Asian elephant was saved in 2014 after spending his entire life chained up and abused on the streets of India. Footage of Raju’s rescue by the U.K.-based animal charity, Wildlife SOS, last year touched hearts around the world for its poignancy. As volunteers slipped the shackles from his tired feet, Raju was seen weeping what seemed to be tears of joy and relief.

“Raju was in chains 24 hours a day, an act of ­intolerable cruelty. The team was astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue,” Pooja Binepal of Wildlife SOS said at the time.