Raju The Elephant cried while being rescued by Wildlife SOS after being kept in chains during 50 years of captivity in India.

Wildlife SOS rescued Raju on the night of July 3 with the help of 20 Forestry Commission officers and two cops and Raju was free of his chains at midnight on July 4.

Raju The Elephant Suffered 50 Years In Chains

According to Wildlife SOS, Raju was most likely poached as a baby and was repeatedly sold and moved, suffering abuse at the hands of many different owners: “Our investigation showed that he was traded as a commodity every two years of his life and even dragged to the elephant fair at Sonepur, near Patna, Bihar called the Sonepur Mela where wildlife is sold illegally.”

Wildlife SOS contends that each new owner, a mahout, wanted to train Raju in a new way, abusing him when he didn’t perform to their expectations. Moreover, Raju, a bull elephant, was likely kept with spiked chains wrapped around his ankles for most of his life, resulting in “cuticular absecesses and bad wounds.”

Raju's spikes have been taken off & today he will take his 1st step to freedom. Will you help Raju by supporting him? pic.twitter.com/p2q5j6iBMa

— Wildlife SOS (@WildlifeSOS) July 4, 2014

Wildlife SOS began working to free Raju in July of 2013, and, over the course of their investigation, discovered that his mahout used him “as a prop” to earn money from tourists, and Raju was forced to live on scraps of food given to him by tourists, most of it not suitable foot for elephants. Hungry and tired, Raju resorted to eating anything, including paper and plastic.

Raju Cried During Rescue

Following the rescue, Pooja Binepal, spokesperson for Wildlife SOS-UK claimed that Raju was crying when he saw the rescuers, made up of veterinarians and wildlife experts. Though Raju’s tears were also caused by the pain of his various injuries, rescuers said it was as if Raju was rediscovering hope.

“It was incredibly emotional. We knew in our hearts he realized he was being freed,” Binepal said.

Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan said that Raju began to cry when the rescue team stood up to his angry owner, who was trying to stop the rescue.

“Some tears no doubt were due to the pain being inflicted by the chains, but he also seemed to sense that change was coming. It was as if he felt hope for the first time in a very long time,” Satyanarayan said.

Raju has now safely arrived at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura, where vets are tending to his wounds.

#Raju enjoys a stroll at Wildlife SOS on his 1st day of freedom in 50 yrs! Thank u all for helping us save his life! pic.twitter.com/SzjJZ1nHeY

— Wildlife SOS (@WildlifeSOS) July 4, 2014

Wildlife SOS is asking for donations to buy a generator and a small tractor, which would allow them to better care for Raju.

Raju is covered in wounds from beatings & chains.Treatment has begun at #WildlifeSOS.Help plz https://t.co/vihKOQ668G pic.twitter.com/wcVSfSsgSh

— Wildlife SOS (@WildlifeSOS) July 7, 2014

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