Key Points

The elephant was sent to Sri Lanka in 2001 when he was around 10 years old as a gift from the Thai royal family.

Muthu Raja was one of three elephants that Thailand gave to the Lankan government for training as a carrier of religious relics.

However, the elephant suffered severe abuse while housed in Kande Viharaya in Aluthgama, where it had been held for around 12 years, local media reported.

Muthu Raja was then transferred to the Dehiwala Zoo in Colombo, where it received treatment for about four months.

Following a diplomatic spat over the animal's alleged mistreatment, the elephant was airlifted from Sri Lanka and repatriated to Thailand in 2023. Local media reported that the Thai authorities had given assurances at that point that the elephant would be sent back to Sri Lanka after receiving treatment for multiple injuries.

However, Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror reported on Monday, Thailand has decided to keep the elephant in his home country permanently.

Last year, at the invitation of the Thai government, a medical team from the National Zoo in Dehiwala, visited Thailand to assess the elephant's condition.

A group of Thai officials informed the Lankan team that the elephant was recovering well. Later, the Thai government conveyed the decision of not returning the elephant to Sri Lanka.

The Thai government is spending over Rs. 200 million on the elephant’s care and rehabilitation, the newspaper reported.

Earlier, activist groups and Thai citizens also appealed not to return the tusker to Sri Lanka following allegations that the animal was badly abused in Aluthgama.

The Rally for Animal Rights and Environment had further called for prosecution against those responsible, alleging that the mammal was mistreated, tortured, and neglected.

- IANS